The rise continues despite hurdles

The stories of female athletes in Bangladesh are those of struggles, hardships, and eventually breaking barriers to emerge stronger. As the country prepares to celebrate its 50th year of independence, female athletes have made considerable strides.

While there is a long way still to go for women in Bangladesh sports to matching the incentives enjoyed by there male counterparts, there have been a lot of positives.

In the immediate aftermath of independence, the participation of women in sports was limited to a few individuals who wanted to break the barrier. Over the years, the picture changed as women are now coming out in numbers in all sorts of sports.

Whether it's handball, volleyball, badminton, archery, weightlifting, football, or cricket, women in Bangladesh have been gradually making an impact in both national and international levels.

However, the majority of the women's sports have been patronised by services teams and federations. The Bangladesh Cricket Board or the Bangladesh Football Federation has also played a big role in empowering women's sports by scouting players from school and age levels.

Whether it was the heady title triumph in 2018 Asia Cup in cricket, or the age-level football team's successes in regional tournaments, women in Bangladesh have more than proven their worth on the international circuit.

Women's impact on Bangladeshi sports has not just been limited to playing -- the number of female coaches and referees in various disciplines has started to rise and the interest has been widespread, ranging from Dhaka to remote areas of Khagrachari as well.

Despite the pandemic that hit the world hard, the courage and determination of women in Bangladesh has kept them going in difficult times and they can be expected to emerge stronger than ever.