Burqa to Asian Games Bronze

From a madrasa classroom in Netrakona, where she once wore a burqa and dreamed of playing football, Jinnat Akter has fought her way to an Asian Games medal, ending Bangladesh’s 40-year wait for an individual Asiad podium finish.
The 23-year-old wushu exponent secured bronze in Japan, becoming the country’s first individual Asian Games medallist since boxer Mosharraf Hossain’s bronze at the 1986 Seoul Games. Speaking exclusively to Daily Sun after returning home, Jinnat recalled the tears that followed her medal confirmation.
“It was unbelievable. I was completely ready to step onto the mat. Just then, I found out that my Indonesian opponent was disqualified because of her weight, and my bronze was confirmed,” she said on Tuesday.
“When we heard the news, my coach and I just stood there, looking at each other without a word. Tears started rolling down our faces, and we broke down crying.”
Jinnat’s journey began with football, but her passion initially met fierce resistance at home.
“I was a madrasa student and used to wear a burqa. When the Bangamata Football Tournaments started, I would skip madrasa and run off to the school field because I wanted to play,” she said. “People said I would ruin the family’s honour. I faced harsh scoldings, painful taunts, and my parents even beat me for playing sports.”
Her breakthrough came after joining Ansar, where coaches spotted her strength and powerful kicks and encouraged her to try wushu. She trained for only 15 days before winning gold in her first competition. The Bangladesh Army later transformed her preparation, providing year-round training, proper nutrition, gym facilities, and mental conditioning. Jinnat now wants better facilities for the sport.
“If we get the chance to train all year round, we can bring home much bigger glory for the country,” she said.
Her next target is clear: “I want to win a gold medal for Bangladesh at the 2027 South Asian Games.”