Swadhin Bangla booters for ’71 recognition

Sayeed Muhammad of DOT
The Swadhin Bangla Football team has yet again called for recognition from the government as freedom fighters as they helped raise international awareness and monetary support playing football matches in India during 1971 Liberation War.
The call was made Thursday at a reception programme for the team in Dhaka, reports The Daily Star. Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) accorded the reception to the team for the first time since January 2009, with its governing body honouring the whole team with a colourful presentation.
“47 years ago, many footballers from the district level to the national level responded to the call to form a football team in Kolkata under Bangladesh Sports Samity and they played many cities of India to raise funds as well as public opinion towards the justification of Bangladesh’s Liberation War,” said said the team manager Tanvir Mazar Manna.
“Many years had gone but the members of Swadhin Bangla Football team didn’t get recognition from the government yet and we don’t know the reason behind it. We don’t want money; we want only recognition.
“I had earlier talked to the National Sports Council and the ministry of Liberation War Affairs, who always made promises but did nothing. If Bangladesh Betar got recognition, then why won’t Swadhin Bangla Football team get the government’s recognition?,” he questioned.
Tanna, who had been appointed as the team manager at only the age of 20 in 1971, went on saying, “… May be I don’t need the recognition but other members, who are not well-off, need the government’s recognition. So, I urge the government to recognize the Swadhin Bangla football team,” said.
Of the 36 footballers and organisers of the Swadhin Bangla Football team, about 10 to 12 footballers and organisers attended the the programme at the BFF House.