On March 18, an amazing sports event was organised on the Gazipur campus of Pledge Harbor International School. The organisation behind it was Deshi Ballers, a female-led sports development organisation that is working to create a platform for Bangladeshi women and girls to be empowered through basketball.
That event was the 4th season of their flagship tournament for International Women’s Day under the theme released by the United Nations – #BreaktheBias, celebrating a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
The co-founder of Deshi Ballers, Ashreen Mridha, talked to the Financial Express about the platform’s ins and outs.
The Beginning
The beginning of such a unique initiative has had its roots in the male-dominated patriarchal sports area, where promising female sportspersons are mostly sidelined.
Ashreen Mridha narrated her story, “I have played basketball for more than 20 years now. Not only have I seen the positive benefits that sports have given me in my personal and professional life, I have also seen the darker sides of sports where extreme discrimination exists.”
Ashreen went on to say how male-dominated sports federations give little priority to the female teams. The female national basketball team did not have any dedicated female coaching staff, yearlong camps or a league through which players could shine.
“I wanted to change that system and do something good for the next generation of girls. That’s how Deshi Ballers started.”
The Journey
“International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change, and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. For many years, basketball in Bangladesh has remained an elite, male-dominated sport with severe barriers for female athletes to succeed,” Ashreen explained.
Since its inception in 2018, Deshi Ballers have made significant contributions to the growth of women's basketball, and to celebrate this day every year, a flagship basketball tournament is hosted by Deshi Ballers in an attempt to give players an occasion to flaunt skills and celebrate the cause.
In 2019, the tournament was held in Dhaka with twelve women’s teams, which increased to sixteen in 2020. In 2021, 12 men’s teams were included for the first time.
This year, the tournament was held on the Gazipur campus of the Pledge Harbor International School, where for the first time, district teams were included along with a coed segment that includes both genders.
This year’s event-opening group photo.
The title sponsor Save & Serve Foundation, a non-profit and non-government charitable organisation, has been supporting the tournament for 4 years in a row.
Deshi Ballers IWD Season 4
Deshi Ballers have been organising a basketball tournament on the International Women's Day for four consecutive years. This year the tournament had two segments namely Battle of the Regions, which was a women’s 5x5 tournament, and Battle of the Coeds, which was a 3x3 tournament between teams consisting of both girls and boys.
Champion team Khulna.
Teams from Khulna, Chandpur, Rajshahi and Noakhali contested in the Battle of regions, where Khulna and Chandpur won the Champion and the Runner-up trophies respectively. Rajshahi came in third place.
Sumaiya Akter from Team Chandpur was selected as the Most Valuable Player while Aryah Jamil from Team Khulna and Anika Humaira Jerin from Tea Rajshahi became the Best Defensive Player and the Best Assists respectively.
Battle of the Coeds had ten teams participating, each team with a unique name - Deshi Bideshi, Goon Squad, Lessgoo, Stallions, Chachu, Protein Shake, Lightweight, Huskies, Paharpur Club, and Your Mom.
After a fierce tournament, team Goon Squad secured first place while Team Deshi Bideshi and Team Protein Shake came in second and third respectively.
Team Goon Squad.
Ishtiaq Nur from the Goon Squad became the most valuable player of this segment while the best assists awards went to Crystal Pottebaum from Deshi Bideshi.
There was also a shooting contest and six special awards to 6 players for their outstanding skills and sportsmanship behaviour on the court. These players have been awarded brand new Nike shoes sponsored by the American Entrepreneur Academy.
Guest speakers at the closing ceremony were Barrister Muna Chowdhury - an arbitrator for Sport Law, Jamil Rahman - founder and CEO of American Entrepreneur Academy and Adnan Chowdhury - the Director Curriculum of Pledge Harbor International School.
A few participants were interviewed on various aspects of the tournament and the prospects.
Stigma Against Female Outdoor Sports
Nafisa Mehzabin Deeba from Team Noakhali is a student of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College. She has talked about how many hurdles she had to come across to reach this far.
“I am a student from NCTB background and most of the NCTB schools don’t even have sports teams because it would ‘hamper studies.’ But I have always wanted to be a part of sports that’s why I always signed up for basketball practices outside school. But being a female player I have always faced discrimination.”
Her words were echoed by Zoynob Arak from Team Stallions, “In Dhaka, over the past years, the stigma of women playing sports has died down but it’s still quite prevalent in other areas of Bangladesh. As someone from Chittagong where almost all courts are outdoors, it’s difficult to feel comfortable when it hasn’t yet become the norm.”
That is why she wants such tournaments to be held outside of Dhaka more.
Support From Bangladesh Basketball Federation
Bangladesh Basketball Federation has gained much notoriety for providing inadequate resources to female basketball players and Joynob Arak did not mince her words to vent her frustrations when asked about support from the federation.
“Absolutely none. It's one of the things that disappoints me the most. Unless you are from a region like Dhaka and/or have certain connections, it is quite difficult - if not impossible - to get any support.”
Ashreen Mridha (right) playing basketball.
The same opinion is shared by Zunayed Ahmed from Team Lessgoo, who is currently studying at St. Joseph Higher Secondary School & College.
“Female basketball is growing day by day in our country. But many of female basketball players don’t get enough resources to prove their potential.
“But if we actually invest in our female basketball players, we will clearly see the results. They have the potential, they just need a little help from us and higher authorities,” Zunayed expressed hope.
Fahad Yasin from the Team Protein Shake had shed light on a larger area, “In Bangladesh, cricket and football dominate in terms of popularity. Hence these two sports get a lot of funding from the government as well as exposure from the media.
“Basketball is way behind and hence we need more financial support from the sports ministry to help Bangladesh Basketball Federation become more active.”
The Way Forward
Zara Ahmed, a student of Anwar Khan Modern Medical College who took part in the Team Deshi Bideshi, wants more competitions to be held both at the school and senior level.
“It can lead to more exposure for the sport, and for the senior players to continue playing and to inspire more juniors to learn the sport when their peers are taking part.”
Promoting female basketball in Bangladesh will most certainly result in more female participation in outdoor sports, paving the way for gender equality. Organisations like Deshi Ballers can pioneer the change.
shadique.mahbub.islam@gmail.com