Kazi Salahuddin
Encyclopedia
Kazi Salahuddin (born 23 September 1953) is a Bangladesh
i former football
player. He was a member of the Swadhin Bangla Football Dal
, the team which played across India
to raise funds during the Bangladesh Liberation War
in 1971. Salahuddin is the first player from the country to play in the professional league in Hong Kong
and considered to be one of Bangladesh's most famous football players. He was also the member of Bangladesh national team
, retiring in 1983.
, Bangladesh
. Salahuddin enrolled in BAF Shaheen College
and became involved in athletics there. While Salahuddin was in seventh grade he was selected for his school football team and was the youngest member of his team. In 1968, Salahuddin started playing cricket
for Azad Boys in the Premier division cricket league. Later that year, he joined the second division football club, Dilkusha Club, at the request of his sports teacher. Following a troublesome period, Dilkusha Club won the championship that season and were promoted to the premiership. The next year, Salahuddin left the Dilkusha Club to join Wari Club, which was a renowned club during that period. In 1970, he joined Mohammedan Sporting Club, the leading club of East Pakistan
. Mohamedan was the main rival of Abahani, the club that he spent most of his career.
to play in the regional championship for Dhaka. After the tournament he was called to join the camp for the Pakistan national football team
. He came back to Dhaka on 20 March but was only in the country for five days when a planned military pacification carried out by the Pakistan Army
to curb the Bengal
i nationalist movement in erstwhile East Pakistan
called Operation Searchlight
started. His family wanted him to go to London
as Salahuddin wanted to take part in the Bangladesh Liberation War
. His father agreed and he crossed the border to reach Agartala where he joined the training camp for the guerilla soldiers. In 1971, he heard about Swadhin Bangla football team, a team of Bangladeshi football players who played in India to raise money and awareness about the war, from a photo journalist. The journalist, from Kolkata
, convinced him to play for the team and explained to him the importance about growing public support for the war. Salahuddin decided to play and went to Kolkata on a Cargo Plane of the Indian Air Force
. In Kolkata, he met with many of his teammates from Dhaka and played his first match for the team against Mohun Bagan, a team from Kolkata. He carried on to play in different parts of India with his team to raise money and create public support for Bangladesh.
asked him to join the newly formed Abahani, which later became one of the major club in Bangladesh. Salahuddin refused and told him that he would only join if the team was strong. Later, Kamal managed seven national team members and Salahuddin joined them. In the meantime, he played cricket for Azad Boys and made his career best of 94 runs against Abahani. Eventually he decided to step down from Cricket and refused a call from the national squad. Later he stayed at the club for the most of his remaining career.
For the next eight years he regularly scored for his club. He went on to become the highest scorer for four consecutive seasons. In 1984, at the peak of his form, Salahuddin decided to retire from football. His two goals in the last league match against Brothers Union
brought him the title.
in 2003 and subsequently became chairman of the National Team Management Committee. He stepped down from the rank after a controversial attempt of BFF president to select Amirul Islam Babu the manager of the U-20 National team. Later on in 2008, April 28, Kazi Md. Salahuddin elected as the president of Bangladesh Football Federation. After getting elected in BFF, he secured BDT 16,00,00,000 (equivalent to USD 22,85,714 appx) for three years from a multinational Mobile Operator Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (Citycell) for three years as Sponsorship Money for Bangladesh Football Federation, which is a record in the Football Sponsorship money securing in the History of Bangladesh Football. Again in 3 October, 2009 in South Asian Football Federation Election Congress Dhaka 2009, Kazi Md Salahuddin elected was uncontested as President of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Kazi Md Salahuddin was also selected as the member of FIFA Technical & Development Committee (one of the standing committee of FIFA) from 3 December 2009.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. He was a member of the Swadhin Bangla Football Dal
Swadhin Bangla Football Dal
Swadhin Bangla Football Dal was a football team consisting of Bangladeshi players during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The team played across India to raise money and create public opinion for the war....
, the team which played across India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to raise funds during the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in 1971. Salahuddin is the first player from the country to play in the professional league in Hong Kong
Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong First Division League is the top division football league in Hong Kong which was established in 1908, the oldest in Asia. It does not affiliate to any football leagues in the People's Republic of China.-Competition format:...
and considered to be one of Bangladesh's most famous football players. He was also the member of Bangladesh national team
Bangladesh national football team
The Bangladesh national football team is the national team of Bangladesh controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation and has yet to qualify for the World Cup finals...
, retiring in 1983.
Early life
Salahuddin was born in an upper class family on 23 September 1954 in DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Salahuddin enrolled in BAF Shaheen College
B A F Shaheen College
Bangladesh Air Force's Shaheen College, or B A F Shaheen College, is a privatized educational institution run by Bangladesh Air Force; and has the largest primary, secondary and higher secondary student population in Bangladesh.-History:...
and became involved in athletics there. While Salahuddin was in seventh grade he was selected for his school football team and was the youngest member of his team. In 1968, Salahuddin started playing cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Azad Boys in the Premier division cricket league. Later that year, he joined the second division football club, Dilkusha Club, at the request of his sports teacher. Following a troublesome period, Dilkusha Club won the championship that season and were promoted to the premiership. The next year, Salahuddin left the Dilkusha Club to join Wari Club, which was a renowned club during that period. In 1970, he joined Mohammedan Sporting Club, the leading club of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. Mohamedan was the main rival of Abahani, the club that he spent most of his career.
Swadhin Bangla Football Team
At the start of 1971, Salahuddin went to West PakistanWest Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
to play in the regional championship for Dhaka. After the tournament he was called to join the camp for the Pakistan national football team
Pakistan national football team
The Pakistan national football team is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation and is a member of the Asian Football Confederation . The team has not yet qualified for either the FIFA World Cup or Asian Cup championships. Twice they have finished third in the South Asian Football Federation...
. He came back to Dhaka on 20 March but was only in the country for five days when a planned military pacification carried out by the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
to curb the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
i nationalist movement in erstwhile East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
called Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in March 1971. Ordered by the central government in West Pakistan, this was seen as the sequel to "Operation Blitz" which had been...
started. His family wanted him to go to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as Salahuddin wanted to take part in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
. His father agreed and he crossed the border to reach Agartala where he joined the training camp for the guerilla soldiers. In 1971, he heard about Swadhin Bangla football team, a team of Bangladeshi football players who played in India to raise money and awareness about the war, from a photo journalist. The journalist, from Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, convinced him to play for the team and explained to him the importance about growing public support for the war. Salahuddin decided to play and went to Kolkata on a Cargo Plane of the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
. In Kolkata, he met with many of his teammates from Dhaka and played his first match for the team against Mohun Bagan, a team from Kolkata. He carried on to play in different parts of India with his team to raise money and create public support for Bangladesh.
Abahani
Following the independence of Bangladesh, Salahuddin came back to the country. Sheikh KamalSheikh Kamal
Sheikh Kamal was the son of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh. Sheikh Kamal, had completed his matriculation from Shaheen School, Dhaka, and Higher Secondary Certificate Examination from Dhaka College. He practiced sitar at Chhayanaut, a school of music...
asked him to join the newly formed Abahani, which later became one of the major club in Bangladesh. Salahuddin refused and told him that he would only join if the team was strong. Later, Kamal managed seven national team members and Salahuddin joined them. In the meantime, he played cricket for Azad Boys and made his career best of 94 runs against Abahani. Eventually he decided to step down from Cricket and refused a call from the national squad. Later he stayed at the club for the most of his remaining career.
International debut
Salahuddin made his International debut in football at Malaysia in 1975 at the Merdeka Cup. At the end of the tournament he and his fellow players came to know about the Assassination of Sheikh Mujib. Coming back to Dhaka Salahuddin saw Abahani devastated and decided to leave the country. So he accepted the proposal to play at the Hong Kong League. There he played for Caroline Hill FC for one season. He came back after playing a solitaire season and rejoined Abahani.For the next eight years he regularly scored for his club. He went on to become the highest scorer for four consecutive seasons. In 1984, at the peak of his form, Salahuddin decided to retire from football. His two goals in the last league match against Brothers Union
Brothers Union
Brothers Union is a football club in Bangladesh. It is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.-Achievements:*National Championship: 1*Premier Division League: 2*Bangladesh Federation Cup: 3-Performance in AFC competitions:...
brought him the title.
Manager
After retiring from football, Kazi Salahuddin has entered into a new chapter of his career. He became the manager of Abahani in 1985. Under his leadership Abahani crowned as title holder of 1985 Senior Division Football League.Salahuddin also became the manager of Bangladesh Football Team in that year. Salahuddin coached Abahani till 1987. In 1988, Salahuddin took charge as Bangladesh manager in the Asian Cup football Qualifying round in Abu Dhabi. After some days break , Salahuddin became the Abahani coach again in 1992.in 1994, Salahuddin resigned from Abahani as coach and joined Muktijoddha FC. Muktijoddha was the last club of his career as coach.Organizer
He become vice-president of the Bangladesh Football FederationBangladesh Football Federation
The Bangladesh Football Federation or BFF is the governing body of football in Bangladesh. It controls the country's men's, women's and youth national teams and oversees all aspects of the country's football....
in 2003 and subsequently became chairman of the National Team Management Committee. He stepped down from the rank after a controversial attempt of BFF president to select Amirul Islam Babu the manager of the U-20 National team. Later on in 2008, April 28, Kazi Md. Salahuddin elected as the president of Bangladesh Football Federation. After getting elected in BFF, he secured BDT 16,00,00,000 (equivalent to USD 22,85,714 appx) for three years from a multinational Mobile Operator Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (Citycell) for three years as Sponsorship Money for Bangladesh Football Federation, which is a record in the Football Sponsorship money securing in the History of Bangladesh Football. Again in 3 October, 2009 in South Asian Football Federation Election Congress Dhaka 2009, Kazi Md Salahuddin elected was uncontested as President of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Kazi Md Salahuddin was also selected as the member of FIFA Technical & Development Committee (one of the standing committee of FIFA) from 3 December 2009.
External links
- Kazi Salahuddin Profile
- Daily Star interview on BanglaFootball.net
- http://www.articlesbase.com/soccer-articles/football-in-bangladesh-all-passion-and-nothing-else-2896301.html Football in Bangladesh: All Passion and Nothing Else