The dream begins here

Mohammad Rubel's life revolved around nothing but playing football and working as a ball-boy since he dropped out of school a year ago because his family could not bear his educational expenses anymore. But the 13-year old boy from Narayanganj can dream again of a good future as he has made the cut as one of the 37 footballers selected for the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Academy in Sylhet. Now he can concentrate on his football as well as studies, which will be taken care of by the academy.

Rubel is one of the 17 U-14 level footballers who have been chosen, apart from 20 members of the BFF U-14 squad that recently toured Japan for the BFF Academy U-14 squad.

“Since my father's death seven years ago, the family has been run by my elder brother who works at a metal workshop, and I had to leave school a year ago when I was in class four,” said Rubel. “But I will get another chance to study after being selected for the BFF Academy. However, I am especially happy because I will get the chance to play football which I love most.”

Many of the footballers who have been selected are from needy families like Rubel, but there are some from well-off ones, like Suruz Rahman, who have been allowed by their families to join the academy to pursue their love for the game.

Suruz's mother, a housewife from Jhikorgacha of Jessore, was delighted that his son qualified for the academy.

“We have allowed him to play football because he loves the game. He will now stay away from us but we must bear this pain. I will be happy if he becomes a good footballer,” said Suruz's mother Afroza who was present at the Bangabandhu National Stadium when the selection was made.

Being selected for the academy is just the culmination of small personal dreams and just reward for budding booters like Rubel and Suruz. But there is a bigger dream here at work, one which took its root when the talent hunt programme kicked off three months ago involving some 50,000 young booters from across the country, and

will only be realised when the BFF Academy turns these hopefuls into footballing stars who will lead the country's football to a whole new height.