BCL's best Shadhin wants to make a mark in BPL too

Minhazul Karim Shadin's journey in football began after a setback but with strong family support, he redirected his path towards football. Today, he stands out as a promising forward who helped his team, PWD, earn promotion to the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) by becoming both the most valuable player and top scorer of the Bangladesh Championship League (BCL). The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman spoke to learn about his past, his present and future plans. Here are the excerpts:

The Daily Star (DS): How do you evaluate your performance in the BCL last season?

Minhazul Karim Shadin (MKS): I've always been a dedicated footballer. Before the league began, I set myself the target of finishing on a high so I could make a strong case for playing in the top-tier league. Clubs want to see achievements -- this was my chance to prove myself. Winning both the MVP and top scorer awards in a single BCL season is a rare accomplishment, and I believe it will play a significant role in shaping my future career.

DS: After scoring eight goals and assisting 22 in 18 BCL matches, what's your target in the BPL?

MKS: As a right winger, I'm naturally inclined to assist more than score, but my positioning and performance will ultimately depend on the coach's game plan -- just as it did during our BCL campaign.

DS: How do you view the difference in challenge between the BCL and BPL?

MKS: The BPL is a whole different level. I had offers from other clubs, but I chose to stay with PWD because I believe I'll get more game time here, which is crucial for my development. Of course, the financial incentives are better in the BPL, but for me, consistent playing time matters more at this stage. However, the BPL is going to be challenging for me because everyone now knows me as a source of goals.

DS: Can PWD survive and thrive in the top-tier after finally earning promotion on their third attempt?

MKS: Absolutely. We have a balanced squad with both experienced players and a group of young, energetic players with an average age of around 23. We've been training intensively for the past 10 days, and our coach is emphasising teamwork, just like he did during the BCL. The team spirit is strong, and we're optimistic about finishing well in the BPL table.

DS: What do you think is your biggest strength?

MKS: I may not be the strongest physically since I'm only 5 feet 9 inches tall, but my strengths lie in technical skills -- especially one-on-one dribbling, early crosses, and set-piece delivery. I took all set-pieces for PWD SC in the BCL, and I think I assisted 10 to 12 goals from set-pieces alone.

DS: Tell us a bit about your journey into football.

MKS: It all started in 2014 when I failed to get admitted to Jhenaidah Cadet College due to being underweight, despite finishing third in the written and fifteenth in the viva tests. That's when I turned to football. I participated in inter-school football tournaments and was eventually spotted by coach Kazi Maruf of Shams-Ul-Huda Academy in 2015. I trained there from 2016 to 2022. My father, Sergeant Fazlul Karim, played for the Bangladesh Army football team for 17 years, so football runs in the family. I was part of the U-14 squad at the BFF Elite Academy in Sylhet and later played for the Bangladesh under-16 team. Before joining PWD, I played two BCL seasons with Dhaka Wanderers Club.