Basketball in Bangladesh is getting a major boost, thanks to Deshi Ballers. This year, the organisation celebrated seven impactful years of making basketball accessible and empowering, especially for women and girls across the country.
“Our mission has always been to transform women’s basketball in Bangladesh. This year, we’ve seen the results of our seven years of advocacy: the first women’s league, the first youth national team for girls with female staff, and a female member of the national basketball federation. These are clear signs of change,” shared Ashreen Mridha, co-founder of Deshi Ballers. She added that while boys are now included, their main focus remains on empowering girls in sports and leadership.
The anniversary celebration and tournament, held at Scholastica Senior Campus Uttara on July 12, 2025, highlighted the lively spirit of the Deshi Ballers community. The event’s success was largely due to the school’s strong support and enthusiastic staff, whose indoor sports facilities and teamwork fostered a welcoming and exciting atmosphere. “Each year, we seek new venues, and Scholastica was a natural fit this time. The school’s rich legacy in women’s basketball offered the perfect environment to honour and build upon that tradition,” said co-founder Gulnahar Mahbub Monika. “Our goal is to continue finding spaces where girls can play freely, grow confidently, and be recognised as athletes and future leaders.”
This year’s tournament drew great excitement from teams across Bangladesh. Ten girls’ teams and nine boys’ teams participated, bringing together a total of 76 basketball players for a full day of competition.
The day started at 9:00 AM with an opening ceremony, featuring Samanta Farahnaz, a real pioneer in women’s sports and development, as a special guest. A Scholastica graduate from 2009, Farahnaz was very active in sports during her school years, even playing on the volleyball team. She later became one of the first players on the North South University girls’ basketball team. Currently, she works as a development professional at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, and previously worked at BRAC and as an Economics instructor at North South University. Her story shows how sports can lead to many different paths in life.
The tournament showcased intense competition across different categories. In the U18 Girls Tournament, Team Changas became the champions, with Zarin Nahian, Farah Ibnat, Tatiana Juarez, and Adiba Afrin on the winning team. Team Huskies, made up of Sidratul Rahman, Sidratul Muntaha Shoshi, Raiqa Samara, and Chowdhury Fazilatun Nessa, finished as runner-up. Chowdhury Fazilatun Nessa was named the Most Valuable Player, and Zarin Nahian from the champion team received the Best Defensive Player award.
In the All Age Girls Tournament, Team Dhumketu won the championship, with Tanjin Jannat Mary, Ayesata Siddiqui, Radiah Fairuz Ahona, and Tazreen Khan leading their team. Team Retro Ballers, including Rayma Habib, Brianna Petersen, Farin Fazle, and Maswiyat Iftekhar, finished as the runner-up team. Ayesata Siddiqui was honoured as the Most Valuable Player, and Brianna Petersen received the Best Defensive Player award.
In the U23 Boys Tournament, Team Aeros proved to be the strongest. The champion team included Arafath Shopnil, Sawgat Rashid, MD. Faroque Hossain Fiaz, and Bipon Das. Team Squadrone Die, with Shahadat Hossian, Manik Hasan Mir, Sheyam Hossain, and Taosif Fayaz, finished as runner-up. Arafath Shopnil was named the Most Valuable Player, and Sheyam Hossain was recognised as the Best Defensive Player.
Awards included BDT 10,000 for champion teams and BDT 8,000 for runner-up teams, along with trophies. Breaking from tradition this year, Deshi Ballers awarded individual trophies to every winning player instead of medals, emphasising that each team member is a champion.
In addition to the main tournaments, the celebration also included two fun co-ed contests. Rayma Habib of Retro Ballers won ‘Layup Legends,’ a musical chair-style basketball challenge. ‘Bucket Battle,’ a knockout free throw competition, was won by Tatiana Juarez of Team Changas. Each year, Deshi Ballers also honours promising new talent with the Rising Star Award. This year’s recipients were Ugyen Yoesal Chhogyal (U23 boys segment) from Bhutan, recognised for his great ball-handling, and Azara Cooper (U18 girls segment), a key three-point shooter for her team.
Grameen Danone’s Shokti Doi proudly served as the official nutrition partner, providing free yoghurt to energise players and underscore the event’s focus on wellness and community care.
The closing ceremony was honoured by Benazir Alam Aunon, another distinguished Scholastica alumna from the Class of 2009. Her career impressively combines sports, law, and entrepreneurship. As a student, she represented her school in various sports and later joined the Bangladesh National Women’s Basketball Team. Alam is now a practising lawyer in Bangladesh and the founder/director of several businesses, including RR Lifestyle Limited, The Box Factory, and Innovative Creation Limited, while also overseeing legal affairs across her enterprises. Her presence added significant prestige as she presented trophies and awards, bringing the celebration to an inspiring close.