Bangladesh women’s team will play a five-match Test series against hosts Nepal next week, running from April 20-25, as part of their build-up for the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup.

Bangladesh's placement in Group A is seen as a relatively easier path to the semifinals, securing at least a bronze medal—an achievement Bangladesh first attained in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2005.

Bangladesh defeated by Nepal 45-27 points in the final match of the five-match Test series yesterday, securing a 4-1 triumph. However, Nepal’s historic victory over Bangladesh in the second match grabbed much focus, with the visiting team’s captain Ghanshyam Roka Magar eventually becoming the best raider of the series. Ghanshyam had earlier played a key role in taking their country to the final of 2024 Bangabandhu Gold Cup Kabaddi, using his experience from the Indian Pro Kabaddi League where he played for Haryana Steelers. The youngster spoke to The Daily Star’s Anisur Rahman about the just-concluded series and Nepal’s rapidly-improving kabaddi team after the fifth match. Following are excerpts from the interview.

With the youth festival’s slogan -- Let Change the Country, Change the World Youth Festival -- 525 teams, including 198 women’s teams from 339 upazilas of 61 districts, took part in the zonal phase after being divided into eight zones: Modhumati, Tista, Dhansiri, Brahmanputra, Rupsa, Surma, Padma and Karnofully.

Shah Newas Shohag, general secretary of the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation ad-hoc committee, said: “As far as I know, Bangladesh hosted such a kabaddi test series involving India in 1974.”

Mijanur Rahman is eagerly waiting to grab an opportunity for his debut in the Professional Kabaddi League (season-11) in India. The best raider of Bangladesh joined former champions Dabang Delhi KC last week after missing out on the first five PKL matches due to delayed arrival in India.

"I think if the federation takes an initiative to hold a franchise tournament like the India’s Pro Kabaddi League, then the new generation will be encouraged to take up kabaddi."

Bangladesh captain Arduzzaman Munshi pulled the curtains down on his international career with another brilliant performance

Three-time champions Bangladesh will now play their fourth final against the winners of the second semifinal between Kenya and Nepal on Monday.

Defending champions Bangladesh stormed into the semifinals of Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi, beating Poland 79-28 in the second match of the day at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.

Hosts Bangladesh continued their domination in the 4th Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi Tournament with a 73-22 points win over Malaysia in their Group A encounter at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.

Bangladesh made a flying start in the 4th Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi, outplaying Korea 67-22

Three-time champions Bangladesh are expecting stiff competition in their title defence in the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi tournament, set to begin its fourth edition on May 26 at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur.

The Chittagong Range DIG Gold Cup Kabaddi Tournament was held at the BKSP Chittagong Regional Training Centre on Sunday. KSRM, one of the biggest steel manufacturing companies of the country, was involved in arranging the event.

Tuhin Tarafder has been representing the Bangladesh national kabaddi team for seven long years.

Kabaddi had been a lone discipline that once popped at least a medal in the Asian Games for Bangladesh but the present scenario has deviated afar.

The men in red and green led the first half by 20-14 points after Chinese Taipei at one stage took a 7-6 points lead. Bangladesh extended their lead with two lonas in the second half before eventually completing a comfortable victory. 

This was Bangladesh’s fifth win in five matches and they will face the runners up of group B in the first semifinal on Monday.

Defending champions Bangladesh notched up back-to-back victories in the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi tournament with an emphatic 72-23 win over Argentina in Group A encounter at the Shaheed Noor Mohammad National Volleyball Stadium on Tuesday.

A total of 12 teams from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, split into two groups, will be taking part in the tournament. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals and the top two Asian teams will earn a place at the 4th Kabaddi World Cup