Bangladesh's schoolgirls just got the official green light to chase international sports dreams

At the annual prize-giving ceremony of Lalmatia Girls High School and College in Dhaka on October 8, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj called for greater opportunities for girls to take up sports alongside their studies — saying they should be able to represent Bangladesh internationally. He urged schools to provide grounds, training, coaching and equipment for sports of the girls' choosing, from chess and badminton to football and cricket, and said the government is willing to back school sports infrastructure. Praising the students' existing achievements in sports and culture, he called female students a source of pride for the country.