ActionAid recognition for sportswomen

Moving beyond struggles and challenges, Bangladeshi sportswomen continue to contribute to regional, national and international sports and bring fame for the country, said discussants Tuesday in a program titled “Of Struggle and Liberation - Celebrating Sports Women” organised by ActionAid in association with Independent University, Bangladesh.

They also pointed out that they are not receiving their proper value, rather they are being victimized under different kind of discrimination, specially gender discrimination, as a result of which girls are still lagging behind in sports.

Considering the spirit of young women in sports, the program was arranged to celebrate International Women’s Day 2018 with the sportswomen of the country who are major vehicles of change and can inspire other women to transform their lives in a similar way.

In the programme, after telling the stories and honoring the 11 women players- swimmer Sonia Akter, golfer Samaun Anjum Auroni, horse racer Tasmina Aktar, athlete Shirin Akhter, kabaddi player Parvin Maleka, shooters Umme Zakia Sultana Tumpa and Sharmin Akter Ratna, weightlifter Mabia Akter Shimanto, cricketer Rumana Ahmed, footballer Maria Manda and basketballer Asrin Mridah, a group of panelists discussed the challenges and solutions to work for country’s sports women. 

Shooter Ratna said the achievements of women players don’t get any evaluation. They don’t have any salary like men players and they don’t get houses and cars for the medals they bring for the country.

The success of men players always gets the lime light but media doesn’t lend as much exposure to women as them, she added.

Another shooter Tumpa said, shooting as a sport is not seen the way cricket or football are seen and financial help needs to be provided for this sport as country’s shooters are now also bringing medals and honor for the country.

Echoing her, Basketball player Asrin said basketball needs to be decentralized and taken to district level as well as this sport is still very new to the country but both the men and women team are now among the top teams of South Asia.

On the other hand, international referee Joya Chakma urged the importance of training not only for football players but for the football coaches and referees as well.

Mentioning that there should not be any discrimination in sports, prominent actor Afzal Hossain said there is no division in success. Success is for everyone.

However, assuring to work for the betterment of the sports women of the country, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy said, the government is working for the women players’ development as through their progress the country will also go ahead.

Member of Parliament and the only female member of the parliamentary standing committee of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Keya Chowdhury said, the government is working to bring girls from the root level and supporting them to reach to their aimed goal and success.

Mentioning the sportswomen as the role model for every woman, feminist Khushi Kabir said, women are the future of the country and the country will progress holding the hands of women.

Citing a survey, the organizers said, only 34 percent women players have been recruited in job and in spite of contributing in sports, these sports women are not getting back enough respect or advantages or even funding.

According to the discussants, proper support from family, society, government and non-government organizations can play active role in empowering women and inspiring the spirit of the country’s sports women who have been continuously bringing fame for the country through their talent yet remaining under exposed.

Source: unb