Bangladesh’s Women’s Football League has resumed after a long gap, but matches are being played under conditions that players and observers describe as unsafe and degrading. At the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Sipahi Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur, broken floodlights, a non-functional digital scoreboard, and the absence of broadcasting facilities have become defining features of the league’s opening week.
Several matches in recent days were played in near darkness as most of the lights in three of the stadium’s four floodlight towers remain out of order. With no working scoreboard or match timer, players and spectators alike are struggling to follow the games. Former footballers say the situation reflects institutional disregard for women’s football rather than logistical oversight.
The league’s structure has also raised concerns. Eleven teams are scheduled to play 55 matches in just one month, prompting critics to question whether this can reasonably be called a league at all. Major clubs such as Abahani, Mohammedan, Bashundhara Kings, and Fortis FC are absent, resulting in uneven competition and frequent one-sided matches.
Financial conditions for players have deteriorated alongside infrastructure failures. While top players once earned several lakh taka per season, most national team footballers are now playing for significantly lower amounts, with some admitting they signed contracts simply to avoid sitting idle. Former players argue that without mandatory participation from major clubs and proper planning, the women’s league will remain symbolic rather than developmental.
Officials from the football federation have said they hope to identify talent despite the challenges. However, players continue to compete amid darkness, malfunctioning facilities, and shrinking professional prospects, highlighting a stark gap between public rhetoric about women’s sports and the reality on the ground.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 