For the first time in Bangladesh, a Junior Amputee Football Programme has been launched jointly by Sports for Hope and Independence (SHI) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), marking a new milestone in inclusive sports development.
The initiative was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Shaheen Farhan Faiyaz Football Field, located near Asad Gate in the Parliament area of Dhaka. The five-day programme, held from 25 to 29 October, brought together 28 participants, 24 young amputee footballers aged between 12 and 18, along with four players under 24 from across the country. They were divided into male and female groups for separate training sessions and competitive matches, with each team consisting of seven players.
The programme aims to empower persons with limb loss or physical disabilities through football, helping them rebuild confidence, social inclusion, and rehabilitation. Both SHI and ICRC have been working extensively to promote adaptive sports as a means of personal and social transformation in Bangladesh.
During the opening ceremony, distinguished guests joined the young players to cut a cake and share moments of encouragement. Following the final matches, awards were presented by CRP Founder Sister Valerie Taylor, Angelica Schop, Head of Operations at ICRC, Sharmin Farhana, President of SHI, Mahbuba Panna, Vice President of SHI, Subash Sinha, Manager of ICRC, Dr Maruf Ahmed, Secretary General of the National Paralympic Committee of Bangladesh, Asiful Hasan Masud, Treasurer of the same committee, and Pappu Lal Modok, Head of Sports for Development at SHI.
The finals produced inspiring performances. In the girls’ final, the Green Team edged past the Pink Team 2–1, with Nishat named the best player. In the boys’ final, the Blue Team dominated the Yellow Team 3–0, and Jiam earned the best player award.
The coaching team for the five-day camp included Humayun Kabir Khokon, Md Anwar Hossain, Md Arif, and Swarna, with Nayon serving as referee.
Notably, SHI and ICRC had previously made history in 2024 by forming Asia’s first women’s amputee football team, reinforcing Bangladesh’s leadership in promoting adaptive sports and inclusion.
