Rehana Parveen an all-rounder in BD sports arena

 
Rehana Parveen is one of a few players who has represented the national team in three games at a time. The woman athlete has been fortunate to play together in the national team in kabaddi, handball and football. She is called three in one.

Born in Kurigram, the athlete had a dream to become a big player since childhood. Participated in school competitive games while in third grade, she was the best athlete in school and college life.

Rehana made her national competition debut in 2006. She participated in the first inter-district women's' football championship on behalf of Dhaka Jail. In fact, Dhaka won the title in his craft competition. The next year she again took part in the inter-district kabaddi game for Dhaka. Here too Rehana's team is the champion. Rehana's team is a two-time handball champion in Bangladesh Games. Besides, she took part in various competitions on behalf o fDilkusha and Aram Club. Rehana's fame spread in all three games. So she did not have to wait long to get a call to the national team.

She made her international debut in 2000 with the Asian Youth Women's Handball Championship in Dhaka. In the 10th SAF Games held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2006, there was an opportunity to play in the women's national kabaddi team. She showed extraordinary talent there. Bangladesh had to be satisfied with bronze. After returning to the country from SAF Games, she got a call in the qualifying of AFC under-19 football. The event was held in New Delhi, India.

In the Women's Football Tournament in Odisha, India, she played for seven provinces on behalf of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). Rehana won the best footballer award in two matches.

Even though she left the game now, she could not leave the affection to the sports world.

She also said "As long as I live, I will keep myself involved in this arena. Although she is a coach but her experience as an organizer is not less. In 2012, she was the manager of Bangladesh in the first Women's World Cup Kabaddi held in Patna, India. She has completed FIFA MA Referees Course. She has also AFC license as recognition of a coach. She received a certificate for the Olympic Solidarity Technical Course in Handball. She also coached the AFC U-19 Women's Championship in London. In 2013, she received the Ansar Seba Padak from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for his special contribution in the field of sports. In a word, Rehana's achievements in sports cannot be overstated. When Rehana was asked about girls' sports, she said that women are not backward in any way. If the women are given opportunities, they can bring more happy moments in sports for Bangladesh.   

"Due to the lack of talented organizers, we have not been able to make much progress at the international level. There is a need for more qualified and skilled people to run the sports arena," she said.

--- Mahbubul Alam in Gazipur