Bangladesh are blazing a trail for women footballers in South Asia

After going their separate ways in 1971, it is hard to say that Bangladesh or Pakistan are football hotbeds – though there is a greater love for the game than many realise – but the former seem to be on the way if September is anything to go by. That was when the women’s team returned home from Nepal with the South Asian Championship trophy to be greeted by excited fans at the airport, plenty of cake and an open-top bus for a journey to federation headquarters in downtown Dhaka, a route lined by thousands of fans. “The way all the people of Bangladesh prayed for us was incredible,” said captain Sabina Khatun, who also ended as top scorer with eight goals. “So this trophy belongs to the entire nation and the people of Bangladesh. I didn’t know there were this many fans of women’s football.”

The plaudits were deserved as the Bengal Tigresses were dominant in Kathmandu. India had won all five of the previous tournaments but were defeated 3-0 in the group stage. In all there were 23 goals scored in five games on their way to the title with just one conceded, in the 3-1 win over the hosts in the final on 19 September –spare a thought for Nepal who have now reached the final in five of the six championships and lost all of them.

The only setbacks came on the way home. Some players had luggage and money stolen at the airport (the federation compensated them), Ritu Porna Chakma needed stitches after banging her head on a billboard on the parade route and, much to the annoyance of social media, once the stars arrived at federation HQ for a press conference, they had to stand for 45 minutes behind seated male officials.

Obstacles have been present for the women in their careers. “The win ended our 12 to 13-year-long wait,” said