RAMIN TALUKDAR

Wearing red and green, standing tall, listening to the national anthem at the GBK Hockey Field in Jakarta, the moment suddenly feels heavier than ever before. For one member of the Bangladesh women’s hockey team, it is almost surreal.

Not long ago, hockey was not even part of their vocabulary, and even in their wildest dreams, they could not have imagined that one day they would stand on an international stage wearing the national jersey; let alone thinking of taking part in Women’s Asian Games qualifying tournament.

In a sport they barely knew before stepping into BKSP, this was their first senior international tournament, and they made it unforgettable. Holding off Chinese Taipei and defeating Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, they secured a place in the semifinals and sealed their Asian Games ticket.

It marks the beginning of a story that, until recently, barely unconceivable. Yet the backstory behind this achievement is even more extraordinary.

In a country where women’s hockey has no active league and limited structure, a group of young girls has rewritten possibility through sheer will and determination.

Fourteen of the 16 squad members are from BKSP. They joined in 2020 as seventh-grade students and now stand at the threshold of their HSC exams. For six years, they have lived under one roof, trained on the same field, and grown with one shared dream.

Their roots lie mainly in northern Bangladesh -- Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Rajshahi -- while others come from Habiganj, Kishoreganj, and Netrokona. Most arrived at BKSP dreaming of football or cricket; hockey was something entirely off the radar.

Coach Zahid Hossain Raju says many of them were guided toward hockey due to limited opportunities in the sport nationwide. The residential setup at BKSP became their biggest strength, shaping them over six relentless years.

Take Sharika Safa Rimon. She came for football trials but found hockey instead. The choice was practical at first -- less

competition, more opportunity. But what began as convenience slowly turned into passion.

The youngest of five siblings, Sharika was encouraged by her elder sister, Mamoni Akter. “I had never even seen hockey before,” she said. “But now when I step onto the field, it feels like I was born for this game.”

Riya from Jhenaidah carries a different struggle. Poverty once pushed her toward leaving sport behind for marriage. But she stayed, and went on to become player of the match, proving her place when her family wanted her to return home.

Riya aside, Tanni Khatun -- still in ninth grade -- also earned player-of-the-match honours, as did captain Orpita Pal. The coach has set one clear direction for them: no marriage for the next four to five years -- only education and the national jersey.

In a country where cricket and football dominate fame and fortune, why choose hockey? Rimon’s answer is simple: “When you truly love something, success follows.”

Coach Raju noted that improved financial incentives for national players from new government have begun changing perceptions, encouraging families to support their daughters.

Since 2020, Raju has led both boys’ and girls’ teams at BKSP single-handedly. But it is the girls who, he says, leave the deepest impression with their resilience and fight.

Ironically, this team was never meant to be here. A postponed U-21 tournament opened the door, and financial support from the National Sports Council (NSC) made participation possible. From that unexpected chance, they earned their Asian Games ticket.

After reaching the semifinals, Sharika called her father -- only to find he already knew. Her laughter carried the joy of something far bigger than victory.

Still, challenges remain. Many such success stories in other sports have faded into obscurity due to neglect.

Bangladesh has no regular women’s hockey league. Competitive exposure is limited, and opportunities are rare. As they prepare for the Asian Games, both coach and players share a single hope: a domestic league. Coach Raju, dares to dream of having a franchise-based league like India or Malaysia.

These girls carry an unbreakable courage, and when tears well up during the national anthem, they are not of weakness but of resolve, one that now must be matched by the authorities.