Ensure gender equality in sports

We are frustrated to learn of the neglect faced by our women cricketers at the hands of the country's two leading cricketing bodies—the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB). Reportedly, the BCB has failed to arrange any international series for the national women's team since they qualified for the ICC Women's World Cup in April. Meanwhile, CWAB recently held several meetings ahead of its September 4 election, attended by numerous current and former male national team cricketers. There was no representation from female cricketers, however. These incidents not only highlight the lack of institutional support for women cricketers but also expose the glaring absence of female representation within these bodies.

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Bangladesh’s secret elixir

It has also been reported that the BCB has done little to facilitate adequate practice for the women's team ahead of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, scheduled to start next month. All it arranged were a few practice matches against the men's U-15 side at the BKSP. As a result of such neglect, the team will have to participate in the tournament without any real match practice. This is simply unacceptable. Moreover, in terms of equal pay, our women's team lags far behind their male counterparts. At a time when India, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa are offering equal match fees to male and female cricketers, a significant pay gap persists in Bangladesh.

In a recent interview with this daily, former Bangladesh team captain and all-rounder Rumana Ahmed expressed her frustration at being treated differently for being a woman and also voiced concerns over the dwindling domestic opportunities for women cricketers. Sadly, this disparity is not limited to cricket. Our women footballers also face the same inequalities. Despite having achieved far greater success than their male counterparts in recent years, they are still given far fewer opportunities and paid significantly less. Removing such inequalities is essential if our women players are to continue excelling in their respective fields.

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A salute to our champions

We urge the BCB and CWAB to ensure that both the women's and men's cricket teams are treated equally in every respect. They must organise regular domestic leagues and tournaments for the women's teams and create opportunities for them to participate in international matches to foster their development. Ensuring equal pay is also crucial. Equally importantly, the voices of women players must be acknowledged and represented in all decision-making forums.