In Bangladeshi society, girls are often expected to stay behind household walls, while boys enjoy sports and freedom. But the girls of Kalsindur, a remote village in Mymensingh, changed this narrative forever. With courage, discipline, and passion for football, they proved that talent has no gender.
Their journey from playing barefoot to becoming champions in international tournaments is a shining example of empowerment and national pride.
Marting Luther King: Timeless call for Freedom & Justice
Important Words & Bangla Meanings
| Word/Phrase | Meaning (Bangla) |
| traditional society | প্রথাগত সমাজ |
| separate sets | আলাদা সেট |
| underlying assumption | অন্তর্নিহিত ধারণা |
| vigour | শক্তি ও উদ্যম |
| naive | সাদাসিধে/অভিজ্ঞতাহীন |
| counterparts | সমমানের ব্যক্তি |
| shattered | ভেঙে দিয়েছে / ধ্বংস করেছে |
| conclusively | স্পষ্টভাবে / নিশ্চিতভাবে |
| remote area | দূরবর্তী এলাকা |
| low-income | স্বল্প আয় |
| illuminated | আলোকিত করেছে |
| metaphorically | রূপক অর্থে |
| recognition | স্বীকৃতি |
| championship | চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপ / টুর্নামেন্ট |
| solitary goal | একমাত্র গোল |
| determination | দৃঢ় সংকল্প |
| emerged | আবির্ভূত হয়েছে / উঠে এসেছে |
| clinched | জয় করেছে / অর্জন করেছে |
| dominated | আধিপত্য করেছে |
| unbeaten | অপরাজিত |
| overwhelmed | অভিভূত |
| adversities | প্রতিকূলতা |
| persuaded | রাজি করিয়েছেন / উৎসাহিত করেছেন |
| inhibition | সংকোচ/লজ্জা |
| mentor | পথপ্রদর্শক / প্রশিক্ষক |
| token of recognition | স্বীকৃতির প্রতীক |
| grooming | তৈরি করছে / প্রশিক্ষণ দিচ্ছে |
| ambitious | উচ্চাকাঙ্ক্ষী |
| household chores | গৃহস্থালি কাজ |
| opportunities | সুযোগ |
| local administration | স্থানীয় প্রশাসন |
Paragraph-wise Bangla Explanation
➤ Para 1
আমাদের সমাজে ছেলেমেয়েকে আলাদা খেলনা দেওয়া হয়। ছেলেদের গাড়ি-বন্দুক-বল দেওয়া হয়, আর মেয়েদের শুধু পুতুল ও রান্নার খেলনা। এখানে ভুল ধারণা হলো যে ছেলে সক্রিয় ও শক্তিশালী, আর মেয়ে দুর্বল ও কম বুদ্ধিমান।
➤ Para 2
এই ভুল ধারণা ভুল প্রমাণ করেছেন কালসিন্দুর গ্রামের মেয়েরা। একসময় বিদ্যুৎবিহীন গ্রামের মেয়েরা ফুটবল খেলে নিজেদের জীবনে আলো এনেছে এবং গ্রামকেও বিশ্বমানে পরিচিত করেছে। তাদের সাফল্যের স্বীকৃতি হিসেবে সরকার গ্রামে বিদ্যুৎ দিয়েছে।
➤ Para 3
কালসিন্দুরের অনেক মেয়ে জাতীয় ও আন্তর্জাতিক ফুটবলে তারকা হয়েছেন। Sabina Akhter, Sanjida Akhter, Mariya Manda সহ অনেক ফুটবলার দেশের গর্ব হয়েছেন।
➤ Para 4
প্রাথমিক ও মাধ্যমিকে তারা জাতীয় পর্যায়ে একের পর এক চ্যাম্পিয়ন হয়েছে। Inter-College Games-এও তারা চ্যাম্পিয়ন হয়।
➤ Para 5
AFC U-14 Championship (2015 Nepal & 2016 Tajikistan)-এ তাদের আধিপত্য ছিল। SAFF ও অন্যান্য আন্তর্জাতিক টুর্নামেন্টেও তারা অপরাজিত ছিল। দেশ গর্বে অভিভূত হয়েছে।
➤ Para 6
তারা কখনো জার্সি-বুট পায়নি। সালোয়ার-কামিজ পরে খেলেছে। অপুষ্টি সত্ত্বেও এগিয়েছে। দুই শিক্ষক – মিনা্তি রানী শীল ও মফিজ উদ্দিন স্যার তাদের উৎসাহ ও সাপোর্ট দিয়েছেন। অভিভাবকরাও পরে সহায়তা দেন।
➤ Para 7
মাধ্যমিকে গিয়ে তারা নতুন কোচ – মালা রানী সরকার ও জুয়েল মিয়ার সহায়তা পায়। স্থানীয় প্রশাসন ও ফেডারেশনও সহযোগিতা করে। গোলাম রব্বানী ছোটন তাদের প্রফেশনাল খেলোয়াড় বানিয়েছেন।
➤ Para 8
এখন তারা গ্রামের গর্ব। অটোরিকশাওয়ালারা ভাড়া নেয় না। তারা আরও ৬৫ মেয়েকে প্রশিক্ষণ দিচ্ছে – নতুন প্রজন্ম ফুটবলার তৈরি হচ্ছে।
Universal Human Rights Explained
The Unbeaten Girls
In a traditional society like ours, little boys and girls are given separate sets of toys. While toys for boys include cars, guns or footballs, girls have to be satisfied with dolls (often Barbie dolls) and doll-houses or miniature cooking utensils. The underlying assumption is that boys are active and full of vigour, but girls are naive and lack the intelligence or energy to match their male counterparts.
This false assumption has been shattered plenty of times in the recent decades as girls began to show their power and women began competing with men in almost all areas of life. It has been conclusively proved wrong most recently by the girls of Kalsindur, a village in a remote area in Dhobaura upazila in Mymensingh district. The villagers are mostly low-income but hardworking people.
Even a few years ago, there was no electricity in the village. But some girls have illuminated the village both literally and metaphorically with their belief in themselves and their skill in the game of football. The village has emerged now as a footballer factory and a symbol of girl power. And in recognition of their success, the village was provided electricity by the government.
Sabina Akhter. Sanjida Akhter (7th under 16 promising female player of Asia in 2014). Shiuli Azim. Mariya Manda (Captain, Under 15 Female Football Team 2017), Shamsunnahar senior (who scored the solitary goal against India which ensured SAFF Under 15 Women Championship in 2017), Shamsunnahar junior (Captain of Under 15 National Football Team 2019). Tahura Khatun (who scored 40 goals in international matches till 2021), Marzia Khatun, Mahmuda Khatun, Nazma Akhter, Sajeda Akhter, Rozina Khatun, Taniya Akhter, Rupa Akhter, Kalpana Akhter, Purnima Vaskar are names of some bright stars in Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team. They all are from Kalsindur village. Their talent and determination have brought them to where they are now.
While in Kalsindur Government Primary School the girls had a hat-trick record of the championship in Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Afier completing primary education they moved on to Kalsindur Secondary School. While there, they became four-time champions in the National Summer Sports Competition for Schools, Madrasas and Technical institutions in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Kalsindur girls also clinched the Girls’ Football Championship in Inter-College (UMA) Games and Sports Competition in 2019-20.
The Bangladesh girls football team won the AFC Under 14 Regional Football Championship 2015 in Nepal and the team was dominated by Kalsindur footballers. Do you know the team that won the championship in AFC Under 14 Regional Football Tournament 2016 in Tajikistan also had eight Kalsindur girls including the captain and the highest scorer? Bangladesh National Women’s Football Team. was champion in Hong Kong Under-15 Women’s Jockey Cup and Kalsindur girls led the match.
They also proved themselves when Bangladesh shared championship jointly with Laos. in 2019. Who could even think that these girls would seize the the 1st SAFF under-18 Women Championship in Bhutan in 2018, remaining unbeaten? The whole nation was overwhelmed at their success, and their school was immediately nationalist at their request.
The success of Kalsindur girls reads like an epic. They started their journey with practically nothing. They didn’t have any boots or jerseys to wear. Initially, they played wearing salwar and kamij. They also suffered from malnutrition. What made them win against all adversities then? What was the magic behind? Mohammad Mafiz Uddin was an assistant teacher at Kalsindur Government Free Primary School where Minati Rani Sheel was the head teacher. They observed the girls’ interests in football and decided to help.
It was however not that easy. Girls playing football is still not a common picture in Bangladesh. Guardians were not convinced as they were used to seeing girls helping mothers with household chores. A farmer, an auto-rickshaw. driver, a tea-shop owner or a housemaid mother couldn’t be that ambitious either. But Minati Rani Sheel and Mohammad Mafiz Uddin persuaded them to allow their daughters to play. Being great motivators, the two teachers supported the girls in their effort to overcome the odds. They inspired them, created opportunities for them and took personal care of them. Soon the girls could prove themselves, shaking off their inhibition. Their success has also persuaded the villagers to come to their support.
When the girls moved to the nearby secondary school and college, they did not have their Minati Maama and Mafiz Uddin Sir with them, but soon another motherly person offered her helping hand Mala Rani Sarkar, an Assistant Professor of History-who was joined by one of her colleagues, Juel Mia. They agreed to coach the girls. Mr Jalaluddin, who was then the head teacher of the school also supported them.
Gradually the local community, public representatives and the local administration came forward. Bangladesh Football Federation also gave special attention to them and finally another football magician, Golam Robbani Choton, the coach of the Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team, mentored these girls and helped them become complete professional footballers.
Now people realise what their golden girls could bring for them. “When these girls go from one place to another, even the auto-rickshaw pallers don’t take any fare from them as they are the pride of the village. It’s a small token of recognition but it’s great!.” says Mala Rani Sarkar, the Team Manager of Kalisindur Women’s Football Team. She also adds that Kalsindur would present more female footballers in future, as of 2021 they are grooming another 65 girls to play for the nation.
[This passage/content is taken from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), Bangladesh English textbook for educational purposes only.]
© NCTB Bangladesh. All rights reserved to the original publisher.
HSC English 1st Paper Unit 7, Lesson 5: The Unbeaten …
Relevant Historical / Extra Info
- Bangamata Gold Cup প্রথম মেয়েদের স্কুল ফুটবল টুর্নামেন্ট
- Bangladesh SAFF Women Champions (2022) ইতিহাসের মাইলফলক
- FIFA Women Empowerment Programs in Bangladesh progressing rapidly
- Women’s football development increased under BFF & Golam Rabbani Choton
Literary Terms
| Term | Example | Meaning |
| Metaphor | “Illuminated the village” | রূপক – আসল আলো নয়, সফলতা বোঝানো |
| Alliteration | “Footballer Factory” | শব্দের পুনরাবৃত্তি |
| Hyperbole | “Reads like an epic” | অতিশয়োক্তি |
WH-Questions
- What types of toys are generally given to boys and girls in traditional society?
- Why was the village of Kalsindur given electricity by the government?
- Who scored the solitary goal against India in the SAFF Under-15 Championship in 2017?
- Where is Kalsindur located in Bangladesh?
- When did the Kalsindur Government Primary School girls win the Bangamata Gold Cup three times consecutively?
- Which Bangladeshi village has produced many national women football players?
- Who motivated and supported the Kalsindur girls during their primary school days?
- What challenges did the girls face at the beginning of their football journey?
- How did the villagers show their respect to the football girls when they travel?
- Who coached the girls to become complete professional footballers at the national level?
