There are 10 male players in the national gymnastics training camp arranged by Bangladesh Gymnastics Federation and coached by high-profile South Korean Cho Sung Dong, but female gymnasts were never considered.
BGF general secretary Ahmedur Rahman Bablu first replied that the standard of female gymnasts was “very low” but when Bonofuly Chakma's name was mentioned, he pointed to other reasons.
Bonofuly, who is a 10th-grader at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan, has young age on her side to fit in with Dong's long-term plans, and also recorded national and international achievements, including a bronze medal at Bangabandhu 5th Central South Asian Gymnastics Championship 2021.
“We always wanted Bonofuly but we can't get her all the time because BKSP wouldn't let her join us for the whole year,” said Bablu, also admitting that no proper attempt was made to include her in the ongoing camp mainly due to accommodation problem.
“It also requires huge costs if we are to add girls in the camp. Let us first establish the boys. If one gets established, other one will follow automatically. At the moment, we don't have the ability to run both.
“We also have to think about their [girls] studies and financial matters. The female players ask for special arrangements considering their security and accommodation issue. Who will look after all these?” asked the federation official.
It should be mentioned that all 10 boys have been residing at the dormitory of National Sports Council's old building which is in one of the most congested commercial areas of the capital.
The accommodation facility available there is far below the required standard.
Gymnasts share rooms where there are complaints of bedbugs.
Also Read: How a Korean is changing the approach of Bangladesh gymnastics
There is no dormitory or residential facility for female players in any of the five storeys of old building and 20 floors of new NSC tower at the same premises.
The high-rise NSC building can be rented for commercial purposes, including setting up restaurants, but it has no space for women's dormitory.
While talking about women's accommodation, Parimal Singh, the NSC secretary, referred to the sports village of Mirpur, which is minimum an hour's drive from the gymnasium, while Bablu mentioned the women's sports complex in Dhanmondi, but this too is far away.
“If girls are given accommodation at women's complex, it will take a lot of time during the ride because of the traffic. They will get tired eventually. And if they stay at nearby hotels, who will take the responsibility of their security?” asked BKSP's gymnastics coach and former national gymnast Morjina Begum.
“It's very sad for Bangladesh. It's good that a high-performance training camp is going on but the girls should also be considered. Their body shape is good for gymnastics and they have bright prospects,” she added.
One of the key reasons behind the female footballers and archers performing impressively at international events is that the female booters have been residing together at Bangladesh Football Federation House for a long time, and same for the female archers at the dormitory of Tongi Stadium.
But for sports like gymnastics, it has always been trickier.
They are dependent on NSC, which has no comfortable or nearby accommodation facility for female athletes in its year-long plan, as the federation has its hands tied owing to financial limitations.
