Dr. Mohammad Hasan Khan :
There is nothing to tell about how much fan of sports that Bangabandhu was as he was also a sportsman. His love for sports and patriotism is one and the same. That is why he declared Kabaddi as a national sport after the liberation war. He introduced this pastoral sport to the international arena.
As he wrote in his autobiography, “I had a great affinity to sports.” He played football, volleyball and hockey but among them football was his favourite. Almost every time, he had played football with his team in several areas. As he had a cardiac problem, his father Sheikh Lutfor Rahman did not allow him to play very much. But sometimes he played with his dearest Khoka on the field.
Sheikh Lutfor Rahman was also a good player. He was a secretary of local Officer’s Club. That time Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a captain of Mission School. For several times, a match between Officer’s Club and Mission School happened. As he wrote, ‘People enjoyed the game between abba’s team and my team.’ He also wrote, ‘In 1940, my school team has beaten abba’s team in almost every game.’
Sheikh Hasina wrote in her book ‘Sheikh Mujib Amar Pita’, “When my father played, my grandfather went to see the match. He told us that, ‘Your Abba was so thin that, when he kicked the ball, he slipped on the ground.’ If abba was near him, he became agitated and we enjoyed their arguing.”
Not only he played for his school team but also, he played for Mohkuma team in tournaments. He played in Second Division football league on behalf of Dhaka Wanderers Club. He played regularly from 1941 to 1948. He was the striker of Dhaka Wonderers Club in the jersey of 9 or 10 and he also played the role of captain. In his captaincy, Wanderers Club won Bogura Tournament and scored 5-0 goals. Two of the goals were scored by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Renowned footballer Gajnabi saw Bangabandhu’s matches.
In an interview he said, ‘As he was busy in politics, he could not be able to play football. If he could continue, he would be the best striker of Asia in 40’s.’ After the Liberation War he concentrated in developing sports of Bangladesh. He had a cordial relation with players. Every player went to meet Bangabandhu when they had a tournament abroad. Footballer Sheikh Ashraf said that, “As we went to meet him, he spoke to us in his natural manner, ‘play well, so that, the honor of this independent country remains stable. I’m keeping my eyes and ears on the game.” And he really keeps every news of sports. If there is a match on the home ground, he would go there and appreciates every player.
The first football match of independent country took place on 13 February, 1972. On the wish of Bangabandhu an exhibition match was held with the independent footballers at Dhaka Stadium. The teams were Mujibnagar Ekadosh and President Ekadosh. President Abu Said Chowdhury and Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enjoyed the match at the stadium. Bangabandhu also enjoyed the matches of Kolkata’s Mohanbagan team in 1972 and 1973 and a match of Russia’s Minsk Dinamo team in 1973 at the stadium.
In his student life, he helped to get admitted the good players in school. Because of him, they were able to study without any fees. He could tell which player would do well by watching a game. In 1955, he was fascinated seeing the playing style of Mathbaria’s Jakaria Pintu. At that time, Pintu was a student of class seven. After the match, Bangabandhu admired Pintu and told his father Captain Najimuddin that, he should appreciate his son for playing football. Later, Jakaria Pintu played in the national football team. In 1973, the national football team went to Ganabhaban to meet Bangabandhu. As he saw Pintu, he told him that, ‘Haven’t I told you before that, you will be a great footballer.’
As he was a fan of sports, he supervised every function of Youth and Sports Ministry. For the development of football, he established Bangladesh Football Federation in 1972. He did not concentrate only on football but he also took care of other sports. He established Bangladesh Cricket Control Board in 1972. Today we know it as Bangladesh Cricket Board. At that year he also established Bangladesh ‘Krira Niyontron Sangstha.’ Today, it is known as ‘Jatiya Krira Parishod.’ In 1974 he passed ‘Bangladesh Sports Council Act.’
On 6 August 1975, he approved a proposal of establishing ‘Bangabandhu Krirashebi Kollyan Foundation.’ The vision of this foundation was to help those players and their families who did special contribution in the field of sports and athletics. But, as he was assassinated on 15 August, the proposal never saw the day light. In 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina passed the ‘Bangabandhu Krirashebi Kollyan Foundation Act, 2011.’ Now it’s doing its functions. It could have started its functions earlier but now Bangabandhu’s dream came true.
Bangabandhu’s elder son Sheikh Kamal is known as the founder of Bangladesh’s modern football. He contributed in the field of sports. He established the Abahani Krira Chakra. In 1973 he brought foreign coach for Abahani so that, the football could have potential. Bangabandhu was the sponsor and admirer of his son Sheikh Kamal. All the time he appreciated Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal to contribute in the field of sports.
Several months ago, I read an article of Jahid Rahman in Daily Janakantha. He quoted a memoir of Sheikh Ashraf Ali, “…In the year of 1973, we were in the Kuala Lumpur Stadium and heard thousands of people shouting Bangladesh, Bangladesh and Sheikh Mujib. It was a wonderful scene and a memorable moment as they were praising for a newly liberated country and its leader. Actually, the name of Bangabandhu is like this, his name not only exists in the ground of politics but also in the foreign football stadium. He was really an inspiration.”
Bangabandhu’s daughter, our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also a fan of sports. Like her father, her interest for sports amazes us. She is working cordially for the betterment of cricket, football and other sports. Personally, she meets players and also admires them. Like her father, if she gets any chance, she likes to go to the stadium to enjoy games. For her contributions, the athletes of Bangladesh are earning respects from around the world.
To increase sportsmanship among the students, she arranged national tournaments like ‘Bangamata Fazilatunnesa National Gold Cup’ and ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman National Gold Cup.’ We hope that, Bangladesh will be progressed in sporting ground under the leadership of our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and cricket will also bring the World Cup. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu’s dream will become true if Bangladesh can progress in every field. Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu.
(Dr. Mohammad Hasan Khan : Columnist and Politician. Translation from Bengali : Aditya Shankar; email : [email protected])
