From Khagrachari's hill tracts to bringing the country glory, the incredible journey of the Mogini twins

A television there is a rarity. The internet is like the eighth wonder of the world. The roads are bumpy, uneven. It's difficult to imagine a teenager hailing from the impassable hill tracts becoming the talk of the country.

But the truth is stranger than fiction. 

In fact, this article is not about one but two teenagers. Those who follow local football know them very well. But thanks to the Saff Under-19 Women's Football Championship final on Wednesday, their names now have reached every nook and corner of the country. Anai and Anuching Mogini are now two of the most celebrated names in the sports fraternity in Bangladesh. 

These two teenage girls were key members of the side that defeated India 1-0 in the final of the tournament. Anai Mogini plays as a defender while her twin sister Anuching is a striker. But interestingly, the match-winning goal was scored by Anai. 

The wide smile on Anai's face pretty much tells the story. Anuching, another key member of the team, is very happy as well. The twin sisters are having the time of their lives with flashing cameras, television and interviews. But how difficult was their journey from the harrows of hill tracts to the pinnacle of glory? 

Certainly, it was not a bed of roses. They were born in 2004 in a remote village named Satbhaiapara in Khagrachhari. Anai is five minutes older than Anuching. Their birth did not bring joy to their household. Rather, their parents were worried about how to raise them given their poor financial condition. 

Ripru and Aproma Mogini - parents of the twin sisters - initially found it very difficult to bear the expenses of a seven-member family. But with time, their condition has improved thanks to Anai and Anuching's extraordinary rise to the top. 

Football has brought light to their family, eradicating the darkness of poverty. In 2018, Bangladesh became the champions of AFC Under-16 Women's Football Qualifiers. Each of the members of the team received BDT 10 lakh from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Anai and Anuching collectively got BDT 20 lakh and used the money for buying land. Since then, there has been no looking back.

It all started in 2011 from the Bangamata Gold Cup. But it was not possible for the duo to participate in the competition since there was no team based in Khagrachhari. It prompted them to move to Narayanganj. In 2013, they played for the Narayanganj Division. Two years later, they got an opportunity to play for the Khagrachhari Division and with some eye-catching performances there, they made it into the U-14 team.

The duo started playing football together although their playing roles are different. They have been representing the national team as well as the age-level teams with credit. 

Now that Bangladesh have won both the Saff U-18 and U-19 Championships, Anai and Anuching will definitely look to take their team to greater heights in the near future.