Munna’s shuttle dream reborn as a coach abroad

A once-promising Bangladeshi badminton player named Moynul Islam Munna saw his playing career crash early. He started playing in 2007 and was a national-level regular. Things fell apart at a 2014 national tournament in Sylhet. Officials blocked him from competing over a club versus district representation dispute, ending his national team path.

Munna pivoted hard to coaching. He landed a trial at Malaysia's New Vision Badminton Academy in 2015. They hired him after the trial. He coached there until 2020, later working as a head coach in India and for the Mauritius national team. He returned to that Malaysian academy as Head Coach in mid-2024.

He is currently in Dhaka for an international challenge tournament. He brought sixteen players from his Malaysian club to compete. Munna says returning as a coach is deeply emotional. He noted a key difference between badminton systems. He believes Bangladeshi players have talent but lack consistent year-round training and proper facilities.

Munna expressed a willingness to work in Bangladesh if offered a real opportunity. He argued that with proper long-term planning and investment, the sport could advance significantly there. His story shifted from a player's abrupt end to building an international coaching resume.