Holy Cross College stands beside women footballers from Janagaon

The story of young girls from Janagaon, a remote village in Pirganj, Thakurgaon, reaching football fields at home and abroad is one of resilience and struggle. Despite all odds, they have played with courage and determination—some of them now making it to the national level and bringing pride and honour to the country.

Moved by this inspiring journey, a women’s organizer has drawn attention to their struggle, leading Dhaka’s renowned Holy Cross College and its Alumni Association to step forward in support of these footballers. The institution hopes to extend a hand of cooperation to them and introduce them as a source of inspiration for girls across Bangladesh.

Three players from Janagaon Women’s Football Academy are now part of the national team--Meghla Rani, Survi Rani, and Joba Rani. Meghla serves as the goalkeeper of the national women’s team, while the other two are currently training at BKSP.

She wrote “While visiting that village by chance, I came across the Janagao Women’s Football Academy. To my surprise, I saw little girls aged between 5 and 15 playing football. I learned that about 30 female members practice regularly there. The scene moved me deeply.”

She added “Girls from such a remote village playing football! I was astonished. I stood there quietly for a long time, simply watching in awe. Could these girls really play with such fearlessness and determination despite so many obstacles? It seemed almost unbelievable. Then I realized it was possible only because of the support from their families and local community. Without that support, they would never have had the opportunity to play like this.”

“At that moment, I felt strongly that I must stand by them. If we don’t extend our support, how will they move forward? Especially for women—we must stand beside them. I represent Holy Cross College and serve as the President of its Alumni Association. As women ourselves, we have a responsibility to support these girls. Their story needs to be told.”

She continued “While leaving Janagao, I made a firm promise in my heart: I must do something for them. I even assured the girls that I would help.”

“After returning to Dhaka, I shared with the college authorities and the Alumni Association board what I had witnessed—the struggles of Janagao’s girl footballers. Coming from poor families, many of them may not even get proper nutrition every day, yet their practice never stops. For them, football is not just a hobby; it is their passion and skill. With the help of local organizers and the tireless work of their coach, their training is getting sharper. Defying social barriers, they continue to move forward step by step with football.”

“They are so determined that three of them have already become national team players—Meghla Rani, Survi Rani, and Joba Rani. Meghla is the goalkeeper of the national women’s team, while the other two are under training at BKSP. With proper training and relentless effort, they are now on the path to fulfilling their dreams. They dream not just of playing at the national level but of winning international titles for Bangladesh.”

She added that “After learning about their struggles, hardships, and dreams, Holy Cross College and its Alumni Association unanimously decided: We will stand beside them. We are committed to supporting these women footballers now and in the future. Our hope is that the entire nation will come to know their story and extend a hand of support to help them move forward.”