Khadiza Tul Kubra
National Woman Cricketer

With women's cricket receiving a long overdue dose of attention thanks to the Women's World Cup Qualifier held in the country last year, the name 'Kubra' has stamped its mark quite well in the minds of cricket followers. Khadiza Tul Kubra, the youngest recruit of the Bangladesh Women's National Team, is a star in the making. Kubra has played a vital hand in the team's success.

Being a first-year college student, she has to balance the divergent demands of studies and cricket. But the women's national team is more than just a great opportunity for Kubra. What makes it all possible is the amount of support she gets from her family. She first set foot on a cricket field in her hometown in Bogra and took a cricket ball in hand. Kubra believes that it is more than a duty for her to bring something back home with her achievements.

“I want to make my hometown and my family proud. I want other girls to get a chance to show off their talents as well. If I can, I will surely make a way for that to happen,” said the national bowler.

Her most momentous achievement as a cricketer was in a match against Ireland in the Women's World Cup Qualifier, where she won Bangladesh the match by bagging six wickets.

“Cricket and the national team have given me so much to treasure already, I definitely want to take it a long way and give my country success and my hometown things to be proud of and help more girls get out of their shells and dream big”, she says about her aspirations.

by Saveem Shama

Sabina Khatun
National Woman Footballer

Having a tally of uncountable goals, netting the winning shots, notching a couple of hat-tricks in a go or outperforming tonnes of teams to win a championship, are not fantasies but everyday realities for national striker, Sabina Khatun. Starting with school football in Nabarun Ucchya Balika Biddalay, Sabina recalls how she began playing back at her hometown, Palashpur, Satkhira around 2008. Next, she got into playing inter-district football and that is when she began to excel; Sabina was spotted by coaches and selectors and got called up for the national squad when she tried out.

As Sabina became a regular national team striker, she began to foresee a bigger picture. She saw her vision of women getting more opportunities to prove themselves in sports turning into reality gradually. Having come this far, she believes a lot more needs to be done.

“It's true that many of us are getting good opportunities but there needs to be a clean and stable system, which will guarantee women a place to explore their talent and play more football. We are really in great need of it,” Sabina explains.

Besides her passion for football, she studies at Open University and is also with BJMC as an athlete. Playing for Sheikh Jamal, BJMC and her district team, Satkhira has allowed her to exhibit her prodigious talent. Representing the Bangladesh Women's national team has been more than a dream. When it is about performing for the country, Sabina fights hard to score her bests for Bangladesh in the national squad; when it is for her hometown, she feels immensely proud to help Satkhira win against other district teams.“I want to make my country and of course my hometown proud of me and the team, I'd do my best to make the team win under any condition, whether it is my country or district that I am representing. And I know I cannot do anything alone but I want to increase the opportunities for girls playing football around the country and in my hometown,” she added.

by Shahnoor Rabbani

Siddikur Rahman
Asian Tour Winner

Siddikur Rahman, born November 20, 1984, created history by becoming the first Bangladeshi golfer to win an Asian Tour Event when he won the Brunei Open in 2010. This massive achievement was not only a personal success but also heralded a boom in interest in the sport in an otherwise cricket-crazy nation. Although the achievement was great in itself, Siddikur's humble beginnings only added more shine to this made-in-Bangladesh fairytale.

Almost mimicking the script of the famous movie, The Greatest Game Ever Played, Siddikur started out as a ball boy at Kurmitola Golf Club in Bangladesh, in order to pay for his education. Five years later, he became a caddie at the same place. But the allure he felt towards the sport kept him from remaining a mere spectator. Despite the fact that it was still perceived as a leisure activity for those at the top echelons of society, Siddikur's talent made him a natural. In order to learn the art of golfing thoroughly, Siddikur decided to take up the sport. However, his modest income prevented him from buying the clubs required to play the game. Instead of waiting for a big pay day, Siddikur went on and made his first club with a broken seven iron head stuck on a metal rod. Proving his knack for the game, he was picked out of 100 children to be trained by his club and represented his country in the Asian Games. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

As an amateur, Siddikur won twelve events in Asia, with five wins in Bangladesh, two in Pakistan, two in Sri Lanka and Nepal and one in India. In 2005 Siddikur turned professional and joined the Professional Golf Tour of India in 2006. He first tasted victory at this level two years later when he won the PGTI Players Championship at Poona Golf Club in 2008. He followed that up with a victory in the HUDA-GTPL Unitech Haryana Open, two months later. He went on to chalk up two more victories in 2009 at The Global Green Bangalore Open and another a year later at the American Express Bangladesh Open.

Instead of sitting on his laurels, Siddikur decided to climb higher up the pedestal. Already considered a hero in Bangladesh, Siddikur had to go on and prove his mettle while playing with the big boys. The opportunity to solidify his status as a champion presented itself in the 2010 Brunei Open. Pitted against Jbe Kruger of South Africa, Siddikur wrote his name into the history books as he defeated Kruger on the first extra hole. When Siddikur lifted the trophy after a nerve-racking finish, he also lifted the spirits of millions and unknowingly paved the path for many other Siddikurs. 2011 was another memorable year for the golfer as he finished eighth on the rankings with three top-five finishes and two other top10s, ending the year ranked 8th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Apart from his victories, Siddikur also enjoyed a tied 11th finish at the PGA Tour co-sanctioned CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, Malaysia. Adam Scott took the time out to praise Siddikur for his success, earmarking him for greater things to come. Siddikur Rahman earned his ticket on the Tour by finishing in the top-40 at Qualifying School in 2009 and his three top-20s provided a sneak peek into what the future held for Bangladesh's most famous golfer.

Siddikur's success brought him international fame and of course sizeable monetary rewards. His career earnings exceeded $600,000 in a span of just 5 years, making him possibly the highest earning sport's personality of the country. The fact that he did it while playing a sport that people have only heard of in this country, makes the achievement all the more impressive. But throughout it all, Siddikur has always had his feet firmly planted in the ground, without letting glory distract him from his game. His humility remains intact and in his eye, the twinkle of the caddie who dared to dream is still evident.

The lad from the slums of Manikdi area of Madaripur, dreamt big. His successes serve as an inspiration for many and also act as a lifeline for a sport which was on the verge of being categorised as one for the elitists only. Siddikur Rahman's rags to riches story is one not only to be documented and applauded but also something that one can truly learn from. He dared to dream and blazed a path to success, leaving behind footsteps that the youth of tomorrow will surely follow.

by Osama Rahman