Historic first as Saff-winning footballers receive Ekushey Padak
The interim government's chief adviser, Dr Muhammad Yunus, presented the awards at a ceremony held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday.
The Saff-winning Bangladesh women's football team has been honoured with the Ekushey Padak, marking the first time a sports team has received the country's second-highest civilian award.
The interim government's chief adviser, Dr Muhammad Yunus, presented the awards at a ceremony held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday.
The team's captain, Sabina Khatun, and vice-captain, Maria Manda, received the award on behalf of the squad, with all 23 players and coaching staff present on stage. Initially, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs had invited only 11 players, causing a selection dilemma for the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). Following BFF's appeal, the government extended invitations to all 32 team members, including coaches and officials.
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Bangladesh secured back-to-back Saff Women's Championship titles last October by defeating Nepal in the final. The squad included key players such as Rupna Chakma, Iarjan Begum, Monika Chakma, Maria Manda, Matsushima Sumaiya, Tahura Khatun, Shamsunnahar Junior, Krishna Rani Sarker, Sanjida Akter, and Sabina Khatun.
This recognition marks a significant milestone for Bangladeshi sports. While the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) received the Independence Award in 2001, no sports team had previously been honoured with the Ekushey Padak.
