Dhaka, July 4 -- The final whistle did more than end a football match. It marked the farewell to a field that, within weeks, is expected to disappear forever beneath the waters of the Jamuna River.

On Friday, the sandy riverbank of Dhalarchar in Aminpur, Pabna, hosted what residents called their last friendly football match. The teams-Swapnagram Brazil and Swapnagram Argentina-were made up of local young footballers known as the "Char Boys."

The event was organised by the BK Foundation as a tribute to a riverine community that has learned to live with loss as an unavoidable part of life.

While millions across the globe celebrate the FIFA World Cup through television screens and stadiums, the people of Dhalarchar embraced the spirit of ...