Bangladesh national women football team’s right winger Shanjida Akhter left Dhaka for India to play Indian Women Football League (IWFL) on Wednesday afternoon.
The right winger accepted an offer to play for East Bengal FC of Kolkata in the ongoing Indian Women’s Football League (IWL). After Sabina Khatun, one of the vital members of the Bangladesh national women team, Shanjida Akhter made a three-month deal with the Kolkata giants East Bengal.
Sanjida made the agreement for TK three lakh in her three months contract.
Sanjida, who made her competitive career in national level, first played Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Football Tournament for Kolsindhur Govt. Primary School, Mymensingh, she was only a 10 years old girl in 2011.
The right winger then selected for the Bangladesh U-14 women national side in 2013 and proved her talent with scoring four goals from as many matches.
Sanjida then could has been not look back, as she was chosen for the U-16 team in 2014 and changed her position to an attacking midfielder and became successful in this arena. In 2018 Shanjida was included in the U-19 team and played nine matches. She cemented her place in the team as one of the important members.
Shanjida also played in the domestic league for the Bashundhara Kings women football team in 2020, where she scored 12 goals from 29 outings. The midfielder played 29 matches for the national team since 2016.
Back in the 1990s, some of the the country’s top male booters played for the Kolkata East Bengal team when Momen Munna, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Kaiser Hamid, Rummon Bin Wali Sabbir, Golam Gaus, Rizvi Karim, and Mahbubur Rahman Roxi were familiar faces in the Kolkata-based football league.
The signing of Bangladeshi female footballers by Indian clubs is a positive sign for the country’s women’s football, as the door may be opened for them to have new platforms to play in the overseas league.