State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque has clarified confusion surrounding Jaima Rahman’s football background and reports linking her to Chelsea’s youth team. In a Facebook post on Monday, March 23, he explained that Jaima, daughter of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, regularly played football while studying in London and once had an opportunity to play as a goalkeeper for Chelsea’s youth side. Aminul said he learned this from Tarique Rahman himself.

He added that Jaima did not pursue professional football because her parents, Tarique Rahman and Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wanted her to focus on academics. Aminul recalled a conversation with Jaima at a cricket match in Mirpur, where she told him she had been a goalkeeper like him during her school days. He noted that her height gave her an advantage in goalkeeping.

Citing European education systems, Aminul emphasized that sports are an integral part of children’s development and said Jaima had a strong passion for football but ultimately prioritized her studies. He said he issued the clarification because social media had exaggerated or misrepresented his earlier remarks.