After more than two months of deadlock, British head coach of the Bangladesh women's football team, Peter Butler, finally sat down for a crucial meeting today with players who had been avoiding him since late January.

The impasse began when several senior players, including national team stars Sanjida Akter and Sabina Khatun, refused to participate in team activities under Butler’s leadership.

Tensions peaked after the players skipped the first day of the training camp earlier this year and later voiced their grievances publicly, as well as in a formal letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President.

But signs of a possible resolution emerged on Monday.

As preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers got underway with the start of a training camp on Sunday, Coach Butler returned from England and joined the squad in Dhaka.

Although a gym session was scheduled for morning, the dissenting players did not participate.

However, both sides expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue.

The much-anticipated meeting lasted for about 30 minutes.

During the discussion, Butler reportedly raised concerns about the past behavior of several players and criticized aspects of the protest. The players, in turn, questioned the coach’s decisions and management style.

Despite the tense exchange, Butler called for both sides to move forward and expressed his intention to leave past issues behind—an approach that seemed to resonate with several players present.

According to multiple sources, the previously resistant players appeared more flexible in the meeting.

While some had earlier refused to attend team meetings or training sessions, the tone of Monday’s interaction suggests a shift toward reconciliation.

Though there was no gym session in the evening, all eyes are now on Tuesday’s schedule to see whether the protesting players return to full training—either on the field or in the gym.

Of the 18 players involved in the standoff, four have already traveled to Bhutan, with four more likely to follow.

The remaining players have not yet made any official statements but have hinted informally that they are open to returning under Butler’s leadership.