Country’s badminton in opposite direction

Every day during the peak winter season is important for badminton players. The money earned by ‘khyaap’ (paid matches across various regions of the country) during this time is used by the shuttlers to cover their expenses for the entire year. The Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge and Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Series held during the peak season are 'loss projects' for them. In almost every country around the world, playing for the national team ensures financial security. However, the situation in Bangladesh is the opposite—Bangladeshi shuttlers play for the national team accepting loss.

Let's first take a look at the expenses and income of a shuttler. Among the country's top shuttlers, some receive sponsorship from various organizations. Through sponsorship, they receive rackets, bags, shoes, jerseys, socks, and shorts. Apart from this, they also have to purchase some accessories every year, with expenses from their own pocket. The biggest expense is buying shuttlecocks. The main source of income to cover all these expenses is playing ‘khyaap’ matches.
To cover expenses for the entire year, shuttlers only have the opportunity to play khyaap for three months. During this period, top shuttlers can earn 20-30 thousand taka per day. For a one-night competition, they can earn 40-50 thousand taka. The competition begins in the evening and ends early in the morning. In this way, a shuttler can earn between 8 to 15 lakh taka on average per season. This income is used not only to support their family but also to cover their own personal expenses.

A top shuttler, who requested to remain anonymous, said, "Every peak season, there are national team activities. We do accept the financial loss for the sake of the country's interests. The federation, despite the various limitations, could ensure the interests of the players, but this has always been overlooked, which is unfortunate."

The shuttler added, "Many shuttlers earn a considerable amount by playing ‘khyaap’, but you must understand that from that income, they have to cover travel, food, and other incidental expenses. They also have to buy sports accessories. As you may know, badminton accessories are very expensive. After all the expenses, the remaining amount is very small. At the end of the day, that tiny portion is what is left for the family."

At the national level, players compete in well-equipped indoor stadiums; however, in remote villages, they have to play on poorly planned courts. On these courts, it is common for shoes and rackets to get damaged, which adds to the expenses for the shuttlers. While khyaap is the primary source of income for players, it also involves additional costs. Male shuttlers can still earn money by playing khyaap, but female players have very limited opportunities in this regard.

Only a few female shuttlers occasionally get the chance to play khyaap, while the rest rely on honorariums received from various services teams. There are some earning opportunities through domestic activities and clubs, but since 2015, the domestic top league has been suspended. As a result, the path to income from the league is also closed. The strange part is that most of the current top shuttlers are not even familiar with the domestic top league. How could they be, when no league has taken place since 2015?

Apart from that, the income of the shuttlers comes in the form of daily allowances for food during two international tournaments. This time, the daily allowance was 1500 taka per player. The allowance is given for the days the competition takes place. In exchange for playing in the national team, the income of each shuttler from the recently concluded event ranged from 3,000 to 6,000 taka on average! From a tournament with an expenditure of nearly 70 lakh taka, the players' earnings could have been significantly higher if the financial and training facilities were better. This could have been achieved by providing financial support and training facilities.

However, this was not done. The shuttlers playing for the national team arrived directly at the courts from their homes before the competition began. Their preparation was self-initiated. While coaches were appointed for both the men's and women's categories, they were essentially nominal—just to have national team coaches in place. These coaches did not have the opportunity to train the players before the tournament started. As a result, what was expected to happen when such a situation arose is exactly what happened in Bangladesh. In the junior competition, the hosts had no achievements. In the senior competition, the only winnings were two bronze medals. For an event costing 70 lakh taka, two bronze medals! Apart from that, the only benefit was the achievement of a few rating points from the two tournaments, which could allow Bangladeshi shuttlers to participate in other international competitions.

Currently, the world badminton federation has structured its activities in such a way that there is no opportunity to participate in major tournaments suddenly. Players must start from lower-level competitions and gradually work their way up. The criterion for participation in tournaments is rating points. Bangladeshi players typically do not participate in many international events, and as a result, their rating points are low. Therefore, even if they wish to, they cannot participate in any tournament.

Every year, Bangladesh organizes two competitions under the Asian Badminton Federation's schedule. If plans were made around these competitions, it would not only open up the path for achievements but also increase rating points, giving Bangladeshi shuttlers the opportunity to step onto larger platforms. However, such plans remain distant, as the interests of the players are consistently overlooked in all arrangements.

Bangladesh could have organized the competition in such a way that there would be a higher chance of success and also ensured better facilities for the players. When attention was drawn to this, Alamgir Hossain, the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Badminton Federation, mentioned, "A budget of 12 lakh taka was prepared for players' preparation and residential camp facilities, but sponsorship could not be secured in proportion to the expenses. As a result, no funds were allocated for this purpose. Unfortunately, the budget for the Bangladesh team’s preparation has been cut." What should have been given priority is now being cut — badminton in the country is heading towards the wrong direction.

The very shuttlers around whom the events are organized are financially suffering. However, various officials involved in organizing the country's only international competition are still managing to pocket significant amounts of money. The proverb "The goose lays the eggs, but the civet eats them" seems to apply here. Bills and vouchers from different sectors served as the means of siphoning money from two competitions with a budget of nearly 70 lakh taka. The major costs included 'shuttlecocks' used in both competitions, and other major expenses like accommodation, branding, clothing, transportation, and food. Except for a few items, money was siphoned off from the remaining sectors.

The scenario depicted above has been a constant feature over time. When the protector becomes the predator, it is natural that the interests of the players are neglected. Shuttlers continue their journey, accepting neglect and deprivation as reality.
At times, Bangladesh badminton has been under the control of the Forum (District and Divisional Organizers' Council), and at other times, it has been under various groups tied to the sport. In the last election, due to the influence of the Forum, the organizers from different groups were cornered. As a result, the crucial position of General Secretary was given up to the forum. With the Forum’s blessing, Alamgir Hossain ascended to the position. Regardless of who controls the sport, one thing remains constant — the interests of the players will always be overlooked.

Irregularities in the sport have almost become the norm. This is why, although many corporate companies were once involved in badminton, they turned away due to various complications, one of which was the Knit Concern Group. This export-oriented garment company from Narayanganj was once involved in badminton by providing hefty monthly salaries to top domestic shuttlers. It even built a gymnasium on its premises for the players' training. The company also arranged advanced training abroad for the players associated with it. However, Knit Concern is now a thing of the past, and so is Dewan Textile, which was also a significant source of income for many players.

Due to the withdrawal of various corporate companies, badminton in the country is now being kept afloat by several privately-established academies. These academies, spread across different parts of the country, are consistently nurturing young talent. While some of these talents can be brought to a certain level, it doesn’t take long for them to lose direction. The sponsorship required to take young talent to international standards is not available. As a result, players who rise through the academy ranks remain limited to domestic activities.

Badminton experts believe that Bangladesh badminton needs leadership that is impartial and detached from personal interests. It is crucial to coordinate with the established academies across the country and the Bangladesh Badminton Federation. Securing the support of sponsoring organizations is also essential. What’s most important is setting an international goal and working together to achieve it. However, the current direction of the sport does not offer much hope for improvement.

Currently, the Bangladesh Badminton Federation is operating in a chaotic manner. General Secretary Alamgir Hossain has come in as a representative of the forum. Although he sits in the position of General Secretary, the actual control of the sport is not in his hands. While he may sign papers, the real reins of Bangladesh badminton lie with others. Those who seem likely to come to power in the future are also not showing much promise. With a lack of transparency and accountability, the situation is bound to worsen. This means that in order to see anything positive in this sport, something miraculous would need to happen. Otherwise, it seems unlikely that the current disorganized state will improve.

Mahbub Sarker: Sports Journalist.