Rebel players return to training under Butler after 68-day standoff
The session began at 6:00 am, and notably included key figures such as Krishna Rani Sarkar, Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda, and Rupna Chakma.
After more than two months of tension and deadlock, calm has finally returned to Bangladeshi women's football. The 18 senior players who had staged a boycott against head coach Peter Butler have started returning to training, marking the end of a 68-day standoff.
On the morning of 08 April, 13 of the previously absent players rejoined the national team's training session at Abahani Limited's ground in Dhanmondi. The session began at 6:00 am, and notably included key figures such as Krishna Rani Sarkar, Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda, and Rupna Chakma.
Of the original 18 rebel players, four—Sabina Khatun, Rituparna Chakma, Monika Chakma, and Matsushima Sumaiya—are currently in Bhutan, playing for Paro FC in the local league. Another player, Tahura Khatun, was absent due to personal reasons but is expected to join the camp shortly.
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The conflict first surfaced during the SAFF Women's Championship in October 2024, where tensions between Butler and the senior squad began to grow. Matters came to a head in January 2025, shortly after the British coach's contract was extended by two years. The players accused Butler of mismanagement and declared that they would not play under his leadership. On 30 January, the players submitted a written complaint and publicly threatened to retire if he remained in charge.
Butler's public statements in response only intensified the conflict. Despite this, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) renewed his contract without consulting the players, further deepening the divide.
Following the Eid holidays, the BFF initiated efforts to resolve the situation. On 07 April, Butler held a face-to-face meeting with several of the rebel players, where he urged them to forget the past and start afresh. While the discussions reportedly involved some disagreement, the players eventually responded positively.
Those who returned to training on 08 April were: Shiuli Azim, Mosammat Sagarika, Rupna Chakma, Shamsunnahar Junior, Sanjida Akter, Nilufa Yasmin, Masura Parveen, Maria Manda, Shamsunnahar Senior, Krishna Rani Sarkar, Swarna Rani Mondal, Sathi Biswas, and Nasrin Akter.
The national team's training camp had resumed two days earlier, on 06 April, in preparation for the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for the final week of June. The initial gym session did not include the rebel players, but their full return during the field training session on 08 April confirms their reinstatement.
