Top-seed Polina, who participated in the Paris Olympics for Ukraine, handed a 21-19, 21-19 defeat to Thailand’s Lalinrat Chaiwan at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium

Mohammad Moynul Islam Munna, a Bangladeshi coach who has carved out a career in Malaysia, hardly had a moment to spare as he shuffled from court to court, giving instructions to his Malaysian students who are taking part in ongoing Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Paltan.

For Polina, ranked 69th in the world, the emotional toll of the war remains immense.

As the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge (YBIC) 2024 begins today, participants from 13 nations converge at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Dhaka. However, the country’s shuttlers are surprisingly entering the ranking tournament without optimum preparation.