Sabina, Maria to receive Ekushey Padak on behalf of team

The second-highest civilian award in Bangladesh, the Ekushey Padak, will be awarded to the triumphant South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Football team. Initially, the Ministry of Culture planned to honor only the 11 players who participated in the final of the championship.

However, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), through the Ministry of Sports, submitted the names of 32 individuals, including 23 players, coaches, and staff members, to the Ministry of Culture. Ultimately, the matter was resolved.

The Ekushey Padak will be presented on stage by the Chief Adviser to the SAFF-winning team’s captain, Sabina Khatun, and vice-captain, Maria Manda. BFF sources have confirmed this development.

A notification, signed by Md Abdul Malek, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, has extended an invitation to the Bangladesh National Women’s Football Team to receive the prestigious honor.

The letter also stated that the names of the team leader and an alternate player from the SAFF Women's Football Champion 2024 team should be submitted to the Ministry of Culture for the award presentation. Although other team members may not be able to attend the ceremony in person, they have been invited to the Ekushey Padak award event.

In 2022, Bangladesh won their first-ever Women's SAFF Championship by defeating the host nation, Nepal. In 2024, they successfully defended their title, once again defeating Nepal. Sabina Khatun captained the team in both tournaments, with Maria Manda playing a crucial role as well.