News Flash
DINAJPUR, Oct 11, 2025 (BSS) - Arpita Paul, a young national hockey star from Dinajpur, has already made her mark on the international stage with standout performances in multiple tournaments. With her skill, dedication, and breakthrough achievements, she is now emerging as a powerful inspiration for newcomers in women's hockey.
Arpita, dreamt of become an athlete from her very young age. She has won several awards by participating in various junior group competitions for the Dinajpur district team.
Arpita was a student of the first batch of girls' hockey that started at Dinajpur BKSP. Arpita, who is admitted to the seventh grade, passed her Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from the Humanities group last year. Now she has been admitted to college for Higher Secondary School (HSC). Behind Arpita's success there are many stories of her parents' struggle. Arpita is the younger of the two children of Amal Pal and Saraswati Pal.
For her impressive performance in the local competition, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation called Arpit for women's hockey camp for the first time for U-21 AHF Women's Hockey held in 2019.
Arpita made her international debut in the bustling AHF Cup hockey tournament, held in Singapore in 2019. Bangladesh won only one match defeating Sri Lanka in that tournament.
Four years after that AHF Cup women's hockey, she again got the opportunity to represent Bangladesh in international stage in the Five-a-Side World Cup qualifiers held in August last year in Oman. She emerged as the top scorer in the meet scoring twenty goals in the tournament.
Talking to BSS, Arpita's father Amal Paul said, despite born in a poor family, his daughter Arpita has achieved great fame by playing hockey for the country.
Amal said he is proud of her daughter.
Arpita's mother Swarashoti Paul said neighbours respect her a lot because of her daughter.
She dreamt that her daughter Arpita would study and enter nursing to serve people but she could not imagined her daughter represent Bangladesh despite born in a poor family.
Arpita said, "I will never forget the past ...it also happened that I didn't get new clothes for the religious festival 'Durga Puja' ... My parents didn't have money. That's why they couldn't buy me new clothes for me. Now all these words of pain are a memory."
Arpita also expressed her gratitude to a local former hockey player Matiur Rahman who had been a shadow on her struggling path.
She said Matiur Rahman established a club called Matiur Rahman's 'Hockey Clinic' in Dinajpur city. During her struggling days, Arpita received support from him in various ways. He used to provide everything, including sport things. He has helped a lot, and still he assists.
Dinajpur District Sports officer Md. Asaduzzaman said Dinajpur's famous female hockey player Arpita Pal is now ranked 10th in the country in hockey. This is a matter of pride for the people of Dinajpur. Following Arpita, many female players are now coming in hockey.
