Saff winning women’s team showered with accolades and rewards

The Saff-winning Bangladesh women's football team continues to be showered with accolades, with today's ceremony at the BFF headquarters marking another highlight.

Electronics manufacturer Walton gifted each team member a refrigerator, recognising their exceptional achievement in winning the Saff Championship for the second consecutive time.

The celebration was another addition to the series of rewards and honours the team has received since their triumphant return.

Since their victory, the players have been riding a wave of recognition. Upon their return, they were welcomed in grand fashion, travelling to the BFF headquarters in an open-top bus. There, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, led by Minister Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan, awarded the team a cash prize of one crore taka.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) followed suit, announcing an additional reward of 20 lakh taka. A day later, interim government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus hosted a reception at the state guesthouse, Jamuna, in honour of the champions. On Saturday, the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) jointly rewarded the team with another one crore taka.

Corporate contributions have also poured in, with the team receiving a steady stream of gifts and honours. Captain Sabina Khatun expressed her gratitude, saying, "It feels great to be honoured, and all of us are truly happy. I thank Walton for their support and urge more sponsors to come forward as individual patrons for women footballers. This would benefit not just us but the country's football as well."

The celebrations also brought uplifting news about the future of women's football in Bangladesh. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, head of the women's football wing at BFF, revealed plans to organise a women's franchise league next year. "We hope to make the women's premier league more vibrant, and I expect the top clubs in the country to come forward for this," she said, also reaffirming earlier promises to strengthen women's football development.

Amid the festivities, head coach Peter Butler offered a sobering perspective, urging the players to stay grounded. "Form is temporary, but class is permanent. The girls need to keep this in mind," said the English coach. "This success is the result of contributions from many. While the recognition and gifts are motivating, the players must stay humble."

Butler emphasised the importance of character alongside skill, saying, "You can buy a fridge or other gifts in the market, but you cannot buy a box of honesty, humility, or respect. These are qualities the team must hold onto as they progress."

Despite their recent success, reports of tension between Butler and the players during the Saff Championship linger. Allegations suggested that Butler preferred not to involve senior players, though these issues did not seem to affect the team's performance, as they secured the title under his leadership.

The BFF is yet to decide on renewing Butler's contract, which is set to expire on 31 December. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron commented, "We still have some time before his contract ends. We will make a decision on the matter later."