Bangladesh women national football team captain Sabina Khatun, who went to India to play in the overseas football, in the Indian Women Football league (IWL) will have to return home due to her mother’s illness.
Sabina, the veteran striker, who dealt with the Kickstart FC, played three matches for her team, decided to return home on Monday after playing her match against East Bengal.
Meanwhile, besides the Bangladesh captain Sabina, another national a booter Sanjida Akhter also went to India to play in the IWL, she will face her compatriot for the first time today when East Bengal and Kickstart FC will take on each other today.
Sabina said, “I will return home after the match against East Bengal because my mother is very ill.”
Kickstart FC will face Sports Odisha at Bhubenswar on February 10. Replying to a query whether she would be available in the match against Odisha, Sabina said, “It will depend on my mother’s physical condition.”
Meanwhile, Right Winger Sanjida Akhter made her debut in the IWL for East Bengal FC in the match against Odisha FC on Tuesday last.
The 22-year-old made history becoming the first Bangladeshi women player to play for the Kolkata giants East Bengal Club when they played against Odisha FC.
East Bengal drew the match against Odisha, as Sanjida could not mark her debut with winning note.
But male footballers of Bangladesh played in East Bengal in 1986. Wasim Iqbal, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Golum Ghaus played for East Bengal in the Durant Cup and Kolkata League.
Meanwhile, one of the former Iconic defenders of Bangladesh football, Monem Munna along with Aslam, Gaus, and Rumi, played in 1991 for the Indian popular club East Bengal. Monem Munna, who attracted the thousands of Kolkata football fans, played a vital role in clinching the league trophy for East Bengal in ’92 and ’93. The Kolkata-based East Bengal, suffered their previous five matches in a row and drew the match against Odisha after Sanjida joining. Sanjida’s team East Bengal are now in sixth position obtaining only four points from seven matches with one win and a draw.