FIFA assistant referee Salma Akter Moni etched her name in history books when she became the first female assistant referee to officiate in a top-flight football game in Bangladesh today. 

Salma was the assistant referee for a Bangladesh Premier League fixture between Uttar Baridhara Club and Arambagh KS at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium, which Baridhara won 1-0.

Photo: BFF

 "It was the first time that a female acted as an assistant referee in a top-flight football match in the country," Bangladesh Football Federation's (BFF) Referees' Committee Deputy Chairman Ibrahim Nesar told The Daily Star today.

Photo: BFF

"Salma was very impressive in her debut as an assistant referee. She made a perfect off-side call during the game. Players of both the teams co-operated and were very impressed with how the officiating went in today's game," added Nesar. 

However, there are previous instances of female referees conducting lower-tier men's football matches in Bangladesh.