How a pair of boots changed everything

The people of Pirganj rejoiced as the news of their local boy getting selected for football training in Brazil broke out today.  

17-year-old Liwon Prodhan, hailing from Dhansala village under the municipality area of Pirganj Upazila in Rangpur, has made the cut from a hundred thousand candidates into the 11 Masterpiece Players of Bangladesh who would get to participate in a 2-month long football training event in Brazil from the end of May this year.

Speaking with The Daily Star on Thursday, Liwon revealed that despite growing up in a poverty-stricken family, he kept his aspirations to be a cricketer intact and thus prepared himself accordingly, spending most of his time at the playground as he honed his skills beside partaking in his academic activities.

Liwon revisited the day, in early 2019, which proved to be the turning point of his life when he went to Birganj Government School's playground to play cricket. However, his teammates all decided to play football instead that day.

As the boys divided themselves into two teams and began playing a match, many onlookers, including Mahmudul Hasan Sohel, the founding coach of Pirganj Football Academy, enjoyed the game.

Fast forward to the next day where Liwon goes to practice at the academy upon invitation after having thoroughly impressed Sohel, and the rest of the audience, with some extraordinary display of talent.

"Next day, he presented me with a set of boots," said Liwon while adding that it was the most memorable point in his life.

"Since then, I've been practising there without any charges. I'm grateful to my coach from the depth of my heart," said the boy who has played matches under many reputed sports organisations up until present.

Liwon with his coach in Pirganj. Photo: Collected

Liwon, now a HSC second year student at Pirganj Government Shah Abdur Rouf College, is the elder child of Khadiza Begum, a housewife, and Rafiqul Islam, an agricultural worker who happens to be the family's only breadwinner.

"I could not even afford a bicycle that Liwon wanted when he was in school," Liwon's father told The Daily Star.

"I am really really happy. It's all Sohel's credit."

Sohel, the Pirganj Football Academy coach, said Liwon has the willpower and would be able to go the distance, provided he avails proper facilities. As a matter of fact, the Pirganj Football Academy already had one of its students, Nazmul Hossain Akand, a son of a rickshaw puller in Pirganj, who went for training in Brazil in 2019. Pavel Babu, another boy of Gaibandha, Rangpur, is also selected this time.

Liwon told The Daily Star that the shortage of playgrounds is still a significant problematic issue in Pirganj town.

"I want the blessing of all. I want to play for my country," Liwon concluded.