Jangaon is kind of a backward village few miles away from Rangatungi.
A women’s football academy was formed here three years ago inspired by Rangatungi girls.
While Jangaon academy was run by public fund, rising Rangatungi women’s football academy faced financial dilemma to move forward to the next stage.
From shop owner of adjoining marketplace to the migrant workers and influential people of the village, the organizers of Jangaon academy raise funds more smoothly than Rangatungi it seems.
It also encourages cultural activities among the female footballers and provides money to the top 10 performers on monthly basis.
One of their footballers got a call from the youth national team and represented Bangladesh this year.
The Rangatungi girls are well aware of Jangaon academy. They play friendly matches with each other.
Those players who got success with national team were felicitated by Jangaon academy.
While voluntarily-run Jangaon academy was going upward, Rangatungi academy has been found taking a downward direction because of the absence of regular sponsors who could boost activities.
Uncertainty looms over the future of Rangatungi’s young female footballers.
“I alone can’t afford adequate boots for footballers. Each of them needs at least two pairs of boots in a year. I don’t have enough money for footballs and jerseys. How far can I go spending money from my own pocket?” asked Tajul Islam, the head of Rangatungi women’s football academy.
Tajul lamented that Tk85,000 is due for medicines bought (Tk10,000) and boots (Tk75,000).
He also gave utmost importance to hiring a qualified coach which would only expand his expenditure.
He has been looking for sponsors but yet to find a steady one.
Since its formation in 2014, Rangatungi women’s football academy produced 18 footballers – seven of them currently active in national set-up - for different senior and youth Bangladesh teams.
In the most recent senior national squad, Rangatungi’s Kohati Kisku, Sapna and Mosammat Sagorika got the call, with Sohagi Kisku sidelined to injury.
Dhaka Tribune presented Rangatungi’s achievements as well as struggles to the respective authorities of the government.
Everyone replied in almost similar tone.
They said they tried their best in the past and pledged to continue the support, but none guaranteed financial assurance.
Masudur Rahman Babu, the general secretary of District Sports Association and executive member of District Football Association, said no sportsperson from these parts managed to get a call from national team in the past, let alone shine brightly like striker Sagorika, in the entire district’s football history since independence.
However, Preety Ganguli, the general secretary of Thakurgaon’s Women Sports Association and a school teacher, informed that girls from this district did feature in the national level in hockey, basketball, archery and badminton and that in football, Rangatungi is unparalleled.
She said: “Sagorika has had the most influence. Other girls are more interested in the game because of her.”
A top authority of National Sports Council who wished to remain anonymous informed that they have no ways to provide financial support to any academy or club directly.
He added: “The responsibility lies with the Bangladesh Football Federation, DFA and DSA. NSC usually supports the DSAs and the DFAs financially.”
District Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman, who is also the president of Thakurgaon DSA and DFA, reminded what they already did, including building up a dressing room.
Their next plan is to turn the muddy road leading upto the Rangatungi academy into a concrete one.
The DFA and DSA president also gave his word to provide accommodation of coach upon arrival.
The BFF sent coaches to this distant village for short courses in the days gone by.
The federation’s women’s wing committee chairman Mahfuza Akhter Kiron is eager to arrange a coach for Rangatungi academy for the long term but gave no assurance on other day-to-day financial matters.
Tajul leans towards left-wing political views. He was a student leader in cultural sector during his university days. He retired from teaching profession but continued as a cultural activist.
He said the experiences gathered from politics helped him to deal with all the hurdles and monetary dilemmas.
He also said he is determined to carry on with everything in his power to uphold the image of Rangatungi’s glory.
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