Ahmed Deepto writes how 19-year-old Shamima Aktar aspires to bring accolades for Bangladesh in the country’s first international boxing competition for females at the 12th South Asian Games in February
SOURAV LASKAR
A n extremely introvert outside, 19-year-old Shamima Aktar would not miss out on a punch to tackle her opponent inside the boxing ring. Aktar is Bangladesh’s national champion and gold medalist in Women’s Boxing Competition in the junior levels from 2013 and 2014.
The young boxer’s orientation to the combat sport came early on in her childhood during her encounters with cousins and boys in the neighbourhood. Her fascination to outdoor sports like football and cricket made her consistently take on with the boys. But her fights with boys motivated her to take up boxing seriously.
Shamima’s boxing identity has made her popular face inside her school. Currently a 10th grader at Mominnagar High School in Jessore, Shamima tells New Age Youth that her popularity comes with a cost. ‘I would be the first person teachers would ask questions from studies.’
With her businessman father Md Atiar Rahman and homemaker mother Shahanara Begum, the boxer from Palbari Moar of Jessore district lives in a sub-urban town, at the south-west of Bangladesh. The only child of her parents, they did not want their youngster to be a boxer. But her resolution was different.
‘I love fighting from a very early age. I have been into fights with boys so many times. I started boxing in the middle of 2013. Just close to to my home, there is Jessore Boxing Club. It was fascinating to watch senior sisters box at that club every day which got me interested in it,’ says Shamima.
She went up to the instructor of the boxing club and shared her interest. The instructor, she says, asked her to take her parents’ consent to practice boxing. ‘That was difficult but I was determined to learn the sport. Though my parents were reluctant initially but I convinced them to say yes. The next day, I brought my mother to the club and got myself enrolled,’ Shamima shares.
‘I was very naughty during my childhood and played many pranks. My parents would receive complains almost every day from neighbours about me,’ says the youngster who had kept her neighbours on toes by climbing trees and picking fruits before they could catch her. ‘The same neighbours today however, are proud of my achievements,’ laughs Shamima.
Shamima became the frontrunner in the female combat sport the same year female boxing competition was introduced. Five months into her orientation to the sport, she became the best boxer and won gold medal for being the champion of National Women’s Boxing Competition 2013 in the junior level.
Last December, Shamima bagged another gold medal in National Women’s Boxing Competition and this time on her debut in senior level which also made her an icon in Bangladesh’s female boxing.
In boxing there is no mercy, no mistake and no emotion attached, she says. ‘When I step up to the boxing ring, I keep emotions aside. You either do or die. I have to practice fight with my four other camp-mates who are actually my only friends in the rest of the time of days and nights. We put aside our emotion when we meet at the ring. This is how boxing works,’ she says.
Shamima is best at what she does, says Shafiul Azam Masud, coach of women’s boxing camp and her performance speaks for herself. ‘The perfect combination of her body movement and punching – is her strength at knocking down the opponent,’ Masud tells New Age Youth.
The boxing youngster has been camping at Bangladesh Amateur Boxing Federation in Dhaka for the last five months. With a minimum of six hours of practice every day in three shifts at the camp, she is preparing herself for the upcoming 12th South Asian (SA) games in Shillong, India. The SA games in February would be a milestone for Bangladesh because for the first time female boxers from Bangladesh would participate in an international competition.
‘No matter how hard it gets I will fight for my country and I hope we would bring women’s crown from the competition,’ she tells New Age Youth.
A big fan of Olympic-winning boxer Mary Kom of India, Shamima wants to pursue her career in boxing in future. Shamima’s role model in the sport however, is Laila Ali, the retired undefeated American professional boxer and daughter of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
‘I want to be the undefeated professional boxer Laila Ali of this country. I learnt the punching tricks from internet videos and from the elder brothers in the camp. If Mary can win, why won’t I be able to do the same? My target is to participate in the Olympic Games too,’ says the fighter.