Bangamata Gold Cup calls for girls to break barriers

Bangladesh were placed in Group B alongside UAE and Kyrgyzstan in the official draw of the Bangamata U-19 Women's International Gold Cup, which was held through a colourful ceremony at the Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

Group A will feature Mongolia, Tajikistan and Laos in the six-nation tournament, which is scheduled to be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka from April 22 to May 3.

This will be the first international football tournament for women organised by the Bangladesh Football Federation. Bangladesh had previously hosted a SAFF Women's Championship and a number of SAFF age-group championships as well as AFC qualifiers for age-group women.

The draw ceremony was held along with the official logo unveiling and theme song unveiling of this event. BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, during his speech, announced that this tournament will be included in the BFF's regular calendar alongside the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, which takes place between senior men's teams of different countries.

“This tournament is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. As you know in this day and age it is very difficult to hold international invitational tournaments due to busy FIFA schedules. Yet we are continuing with the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, and the Bangamata Gold Cup will be a new addition to our calendar. The Bangamata Gold Cup will be held at the early part of each year and the Bangabandhu Gold Cup will be held at the latter part of each year,” Salahuddin said.

Salman F Rahman, advisor to the Prime Minister and chairman of Beximco Group, the chief sponsors of the tournament, said the tournament was a need of the hour. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, women's empowerment has reached an unprecedented height. We know our men's football team is doing well, but the women's team is doing even better. So it was a timely initiative from the BFF to host such a tournament. And naming it after Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib is a perfect recognition to her contribution and sacrifice for her family and the country.”

Fahad Karim, the MD and CEO of K-Sports, the official partners and organisers of the tournament, said that having the theme of 'Egiye Jawar Nei Mana' (No barrier to go ahead) focuses on the continued empowerment of women in different sectors of the country.

Jean-Jacques Simon, the chief of communication of Unicef, Bangladesh, stressed on the need to open up spaces and playgrounds in Dhaka for children to take part in sporting activities.

Among other dignitaries present during the programme were Bangladesh Olympic Association's secretary general Syed Shahed Reza, BFF's senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy, FIFA council member Mahfuza Akter Kiron, other high officials of the BFF, business leaders, ambassadors and representatives of different foreign embassies in Dhaka.