BCB steps up for footballer’s home, BFF still owes match fees

You've probably noticed the news that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will build a house for footballer Rituparna Chakma. And perhaps, on seeing that, a question popped into your mind: BCB stands for the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and Rituparna plays for the Bangladesh women's national football team. So why is the cricket board stepping in to build a house for a footballer? Doesn't Bangladesh have a football federation?

If that thought did cross your mind, you can hardly be blamed.

Among all the sports federations and boards in Bangladesh, the BCB is not only the richest but also one of the top five wealthiest cricket boards in the world. When it chooses, it can assist anyone entirely on its own initiative. This is not the first time—BCB has supported outstanding athletes from other sports before. They have awarded substantial cash prizes to the SAFF-winning women's football team and have stepped in to assist other federations and players over the years.

But that's not the real question here. The real question lies elsewhere: if the BCB is taking responsibility for everything, then what exactly are the other sports boards and federations doing? And here, the finger points squarely at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF)—an organisation that may not be as wealthy as BCB but is certainly not destitute.

The issue over Rituparna's house is not new. Her home is in Moghachhari village, Ghagra Union, Kawkhali Upazila, Rangamati district. For years, her family has been living in a dilapidated structure. Rituparna has been the main breadwinner, supporting the family since the deaths of her father and only brother. She also bears the cost of treatment for her mother, who has cancer. After seeing the condition of her home, the BCB decided to finance the construction of a new one.

Yet, there's still uncertainty over where exactly this new house will be built. On the night of 9 August, while at the BFF camp, Rituparna suddenly learned that BCB had taken responsibility for the project. She was surprised, saying she was "really taken aback when I heard the news. I'm grateful to BCB for standing by me like this. My thanks to the president and everyone involved."

Back in 2022, the then-government had allotted Rituparna 12 decimals of land. But bureaucratic red tape has delayed the transfer of official ownership into her name. Despite multiple letters and follow-ups, no registration has taken place. She expressed her frustration, saying, "I've put up the boundary wall myself, but the registration is still not done. Even before playing in the Bhutan league, I submitted all the documents again."

Her current home is in a remote area with poor accessibility. The previous government had given her land in Ghagra Union, and she now wants the BCB-funded house built there instead. "The place we live in now is deep inside and makes commuting difficult for my family. If BCB could build the house on the land I was given, that would be great for us," she said.

The star footballer's wish is clear—BCB's help should go into building a home on the new land, provided the paperwork is sorted. She's appealed for quick resolution to this three-year-long complication, saying, "If the matter is settled quickly and the house built there, my family can finally live a normal life."

Glory on the pitch, neglect off It

So much for Rituparna's housing saga. When BFF's new committee took charge, there was hope that the curse of the Kazi Salahuddin era would finally end. But, in reality, it's the same old story.

On the pitch, the Bangladesh women's football team continues to script glory—two consecutive South Asian titles, and a historic first-ever qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup. But behind the scenes lies a bitter truth: while the players bring home victories, trophies, and applause, their rightful dues remain buried under files.

Match fees, salaries, bonuses—all are plagued by chronic delays.

In June 2024, Bangladesh played two home matches against Chinese Taipei, followed by two friendlies in Bhutan in July. Earlier in March, they played two matches in the UAE, two in Jordan in June, and three in Myanmar in July. In total, the women's team has played 11 matches this year. According to several national team players, they still have not received match fees for any of them.

The amounts in question are hardly astronomical: for any player who takes the field, the fee is BDT 10,000 per match; for those who do not play, BDT 5,000. One senior national team player expressed her anger, saying, "Last year I got BDT 40,000 for four matches in SAFF. But before that we played against Taipei and Bhutan, and this year we've played in Jordan and Myanmar. I'm owed match fees for nine matches. I've gone from the fourth floor of BFF House down to the third countless times to request it, but nothing happens."

Currently, players like Monika, Rituparna, and Sabina are playing in the Bhutan league. Under their contracts, they will not receive BFF salaries during this period. Many of those who protested against the coach earlier this year only signed contracts in May, and before that, they too were unpaid for months. Another senior player in Bhutan says she is still owed 35 days' salary.

In February, the Bangladesh women's football team received the Ekushey Padak. The government also announced a cash reward for the squad. But as one player points out, "We heard the government gave the women's team BDT 400,000. When divided among the players, it's around BDT 12,000 each. But after all these months, we haven't seen a single taka. The amount isn't the main issue—it's the mentality of not paying that hurts."

Nine months after winning the SAFF title, the BFF has still not paid the BDT 15 million prize money it promised. On 9 November last year, at its very first meeting, the new committee resolved to pay the reward. In reality—nothing. Players are now asking, "If you're not going to pay, then why announce it at all?"

After returning from Myanmar in July, the Asian Cup-bound team was given a reception at Hatirjheel at three in the morning—complete with a stage and life-size player cut-outs. But not a single taka was handed over in prize money. One player summed it up bluntly, saying, "Instead of wasting money on stages and cut-outs, they could have just given it to the girls."

Women's football in Bangladesh still lacks a regular league. Currently, 12–13 Bangladeshi players are playing in Bhutan. Their Bhutanese counterparts are puzzled, asking, "After playing so well, why don't you have a league in your own country?" And the Bangladeshi players admit they feel embarrassed every time they hear the question. As one put it, "The Bhutanese girls get everything on time. We wait for months."