The Bangladesh Under-21 hockey team returned home on Thursday after competing in the Junior Hockey World Cup, and Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was buzzing with journalists. It is hard to recall the last time hockey drew such attention for the right reasons. The sport usually makes headlines for controversy, but this time the team brought pride through performance. Taking part in the Junior World Cup for the first time, they made history – and returned from India with heads held high.
Bangladesh finished 17th among 24 teams. That ranking alone does not capture the achievement. Bangladesh beat Austria to win the Challenger Trophy, and despite losing to strong sides like Australia and France, they fought toe-to-toe. Among the brightest performers was Amirul Islam, whose drag-flicking stunned the hockey world. With five hat-tricks in six matches and 18 goals, he finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
Amirul said today, “We achieved what we aimed for. We played very well.”
Coach Siegfried Aikman was equally full of praise: “He is definitely special. But we made sure to use his strengths. The whole team worked for him, putting him into scoring positions. We worked hard on penalty corners. The forwards focussed on earning PCs.”
Other teams were also keen to learn the secret behind Bangladesh’s rise. Aikman said, “Bangladesh didn’t just win the Challenger Cup – they shocked the world. Every team in the tournament was talking about Bangladesh. Suddenly everyone knows them. Before, hardly anyone did. And they loved our players. They were asking, ‘What’s your secret?’ This has never happened. Even the big nations wanted to know how Bangladesh’s players achieved this.”
The success, however, now belongs to the past. Aikman will not renew his contract but has offered clear advice on what must come next. “I want them to continue training and keep this journey alive. But money is needed. Without that, everything will stop in three weeks or a month. We cannot lose the momentum we have built.”
To maintain that rhythm, the players must remain active and playing regularly. Amirul and his teammates want to focus on the present and future: “If we keep playing consistently, our performance will improve further. We can bring even better results. We will prioritise the league. There is no alternative to the league. When tournaments like the Premier League or franchise leagues take place, foreign and top-level players will come, and we will learn new things from them.”
Hockey Federation General Secretary Lt Col (Retd) Riazul Hasan is hopeful about reducing uncertainty. “About three months ago, we held a meeting with First Division clubs. We want to start the league, but they told us they lack funds. They asked for three or four months. They wanted time until the end of December. We will send them a letter this month.”
Despite such a landmark success, the government has yet to announce any reward for the team. Riazul said, “I am waiting to see what the Ministry of Youth and Sports tells us. I will speak to the secretary and request that they come forward – and we will do the same.”
