<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today accorded reception to the SAFF winning Bangladesh women’s football team as its members shared their dream and the daily struggles they face with the head of the government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The footballers apprised of their dream when they met the chief adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prof Yunus carefully listened to the demand of the victorious players and promised to address them on a priority basis as the women football heroes defeated Nepal by 2-1 goals in the final match of the seventh SAFF Women's Championship in Kathmandu on October 30.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I congratulate you on behalf of the whole nation on achieving this success. The nation is grateful to you. The people of our country want success. You have brought us the success," the chief adviser told the players in his opening remarks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Captain Sabina Khatun thanked Prof Yunus for hosting them and said they felt honoured to be able to join the reception.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We have come to this stage by overcoming a lot of barriers. It is not just the women's football team, but women in general in Bangladesh face many struggles," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sabina, who started her football career in 2009, also recalled the contribution of her previous generation for showing the courage of taking football as their passion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sabina said that many of them come from a humble background and need to support their families. "Our salaries do not allow us to give much support, as we do not get much," said Sabina.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prolific striker became emotion choked while she was describing the struggles of some of her teammates, such as Maria Manda.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Maria from the famous Kalsindur village in Mymensingh, which provided six players to the SAFF-winning team, lost her father early and was raised by her mother.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Winger Krishna Rani Sarkar raised the issue of their accommodation in Dhaka, while midfielder Manika Chakma shared the difficulties she faced to become a footballer in Laksmichhari, one of the remotest upazilas of hilly Khagrachhari district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Midfielder Shopna Rani described the poor infrastructure of her native Ranshonkail village in Dinajpur district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Winger Krishna requested the chief adviser to arrange a friendly match for them outside Asia, preferably against European Champions League winners Barcelona.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The chief adviser asked every player to write down their individual hopes and aspirations, struggles, and demands in separate pieces of paper and share those with his office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Do not hesitate to write whatever you wish. We will try to fulfill your demands. If anything can be addressed now, we will do it now," Prof Yunus said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Advisers Asif Mahmud, Supradip Chakma, Bidhan Roy, and Nurjahan Begum, among others, were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Coach Peter Butler and manager Mahmuda Akter also attended the function.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>