Illness ended her playing career, but Bithi did not stop — now she is Rangpur Division's head coach

Nine years ago, illness nearly forced Arifa Jahan Bithi to wind up her professional cricket career. She left the game and returned to her hometown. But she could not give up her pull towards the 22 yards.

Within less than two years, hoping to see her own dream in other players' cricket, Bithi founded the Women's Dreamer Cricket Academy. As a coach, her goal was to produce players for the national team.

That dream has now reached a much bigger stage. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has chosen Bithi, who provides free training at the grassroots, as a coach — and as a divisional head coach. Bithi, the founder of the country's first women's cricket academy, is taking charge as head coach of Rangpur Division. Mursheda Khatun Soma will work with her as assistant coach, and Monika Akter Asha will serve as manager.

The BCB has taken a major initiative to develop women's cricket in the country and bring talented cricketers through from the grassroots. As part of it, coaching staff appointments for women's cricket have been finalised in eight divisions, including Rangpur. The selected coaches and officials will be responsible for training, nurturing and managing cricketers at the divisional level.

According to BCB sources, experience was given importance in appointing coaches and officials at the divisional level. In particular, former cricketers and holders of Level-1 coaching certificates were given priority.

Expressing gratitude to the BCB and the officials concerned in Rangpur Division for the head coach's responsibility, Bithi said: 'Getting this responsibility is a matter of great pride and honour for me, and at the same time a challenging one. This path was not easy at all. My position today is the result of seven long years of hard work, struggle and experience.'

She added: 'This new responsibility is certainly challenging for me, but I will try my best to stand beside the players, give them the support they need and make Rangpur Division's name brighter. I will also give my utmost to do whatever is needed to produce new and talented players from the grassroots level.'

Sixteen years ago, in 2010, Arifa Jahan Bithi entered professional league cricket. She played First Division cricket for the Dhaka Premier League, Orient Sporting Club and World Cricket Academy.

In 2017, a storm suddenly hit her cricket career. During a Dhaka First Division match, her nose began to bleed. Doctors examined her and said she had an infection in her nose and that continuing to play could cause serious harm. She was forced to give up cricket.

On October 26, 2019, Bithi set up a training academy for women named Women's Dreamer Cricket Academy at Rangpur District Stadium. Her efforts began with an initiative to provide free cricket training to about 250 women at the initial stage.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Bithi's humanitarian side also came to the fore. Early in the pandemic she stepped forward to serve pregnant women. Cricketers Tamim Iqbal and Rubel Hossain, among many others, responded to her call and stood beside her. Combining her own savings with financial help from others, she delivered rice, lentils, oil, salt, fruit, milk, eggs, Horlicks and other essential food to several thousand people. Her academy was later renamed 'Women's Dreamer Cricket Academy and Humanity Foundation'.

More than a hundred women have already become self-reliant through Bithi's work. Homeless elderly parents have received new homes, she has provided financial help for helpless students to enrol in schools and colleges, and she has extended help during natural disasters at various times, according to the report.