The spectacle of combat fights for entertainment and cultural purposes has existed for centuries. Starting with gladiators in the Roman Empire to Asian karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, wrestling, to boxing, all these combat sports have garnered mass audiences worldwide. It was about time the craze reached Bangladesh, and the public witnessed the untapped potential of Bangladeshi fighters.
Think rough, think edgy, think Khar. Built with the purpose to provide a platform for mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters and for the audience to get an insight into the local talent, Khar presented a palpable, entertaining and competitive platform in July 2025. The Khar Team, consisting of Mohammad Maaz, Sadat Kabir Rudro, Shouvik Ahmed, Alim Shahriar Fahim, Wazahathullah Addin, Shahriar Fahim, Fahad Areeyan and Mustakim Reza, have hosted six astounding events so far, with each event getting more thrilling than the one before. In just a few months, the audience grew into hundreds, surpassing a thousand.
Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts are quite popular across gyms and training centres in Bangladesh, harnessing a robust pool of homegrown talent.
Male and female fighters from different parts of Bangladesh who are passionate about combat sports have been eager to participate to display their skills and talent at Khar events. Some experts lived and trained abroad and are now utilising their skills to pass down the knowledge.
“When we first started Khar, we had no idea people from Kishoreganj or Narayanganj would reach out to us. We didn’t even know there was such a strong MMA community in Sylhet and Rangamati. For the past ten or fifteen years, there have been private small-scale events that most people were not aware of,” says Sadat Kabir Rudro. Khar provides a combat platform for both amateur and professional fighters. The fighters are selected based on their weight division and past fighting record. There are usually eight matches per event, with three 3-minute rounds for amateurs and three 5-minute rounds for pro fighters.
Professional MMA fighter and holder of three black belts, Shadman Sakif shares, “During my tenure abroad in Malaysia and Thailand, where I resided for almost eight years of my life, I could frequently participate in competitions. I was the first Bangladeshi, from Bangladesh itself, to compete in both international MMA and professional Muay Thai, that too in Thailand. One of my notable wins was over a former Sanda World Champion in a semi-pro kickboxing fight in Malaysia. Back there, I regularly used to compete, but since moving back to Bangladesh, I have had only three fights here so far.” He explained the limitations in Bangladesh that many MMA athletes end up training without proper infrastructure — often on bare ground, poorly filled punching bags, or inadequate mats — making it difficult to practice correct technique and movement as they would in competition. As a result, fighters adapt to substandard conditions rather than refining ideal form. He also reflected on the social stigma surrounding MMA, which was long viewed as violent and unlawful, even drawing suspicion from parents and law enforcement in Dhaka. Over time, however, growing professionalism, international representation, and the introduction of medical support and safety regulations have helped shift public perception, establishing MMA as a legitimate and regulated sport.
“There is an athlete from Bandarban who will fight against another athlete who is coming from New York. I know a guy from Sherpur who learned MMA solely from YouTube and recently started training with a coach. These are just some of the stories amongst hundreds of athletes who are fighting to get recognition,” points out Sadat Kabir Rudro.
There is ample potential in Bangladesh waiting to be displayed who can compete at the international level in the future. The Khar team shares that despite the popularity, there are also challenges. Limitations in finding an appropriate venue, sponsorships, proper gym and coach facility for athletes, cohesive media integration — all of these components need to be refined as well. Combat sports also need to be recognised by the government and private sector, so funding such events becomes smoother. Some players get invited abroad but do not get a visa due to weak international liaisons, which is very disheartening. There is a strong need to collaborate with other countries and encourage more grassroots-level training programmes.
Hopefully, MMA and other combat sports will gain official recognition in Bangladesh with a sustainable ecosystem and with time and effort, it will get the global appreciation and accreditation it deserves.