The captain of the Bangladesh women’s national football team isn’t ready to think too far ahead just yet—she prefers to keep her feet firmly on the ground.
Once worn by the legendary Sabina Khatun, the captain’s armband now belongs to Afeida Khandakar Pranti. At just 18, it wasn’t an easy responsibility to carry. But instead of backing away, Afeida embraced the challenge. And under her leadership, Bangladesh has made history—reaching the main stage of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time ever. Naturally, the joy feels even more special for Afeida.
On Saturday in Yangon, Myanmar, Bangladesh wrapped up their Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a dominant 7–0 win over Turkmenistan. Earlier, they had crushed Bahrain 7–0 and edged past hosts Myanmar 2–1—securing their place in Asia’s top women’s football tournament.
Across all three matches, Bangladesh scored 16 goals and conceded just one. The team showed excellent chemistry, with experienced players like Rituparna Chakma, Monika Chakma, and Maria Manda combining smoothly with rising stars such as Shaheda Akter Ripa and Kohati Kisku. Afeida couldn’t be more impressed with her team’s outstanding performance throughout the qualifiers.
“It’s hard to put into words—this joy is beyond anything I’ve felt,” Afeida said. “We came here with a goal, and we achieved it. That’s the biggest thing for me. This is the biggest win of my career. We always said we wanted to go beyond SAFF and reach the Asian stage… Allah has fulfilled my words. I’m always thankful to Him.”
The main tournament will be held in Australia next March. But Afeida isn’t thinking about that just yet. Her focus is already on the next challenge, back on home soil. The SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship begins this Friday at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka—and that’s where her attention lies.
“My next goal is the SAFF U-20 Championship after returning home. Right now, that’s all I’m thinking about.”
