Football and footballing in Bangladesh

Md Mahfuzur Rahman Siddique Football is one of the oldest games in Bangladesh. Before other Olympic disciplines were introduced here football reached the height of popularity. This most popular and widely played game of the world has an ancient history. Very few games and sports practiced in the present-day world are as old as football. And an insignificant number of modern-day sporting pursuits are adorned with a glorious past as that of football. Before concentrating on the origin and development of this game in Bangladesh it is pertinent to focus on the historical past and continuous growth of this game. The sports historians, especially the football pundits, are divided in their opinion as to when and where this game first originated. Some of them opined that it was introduced in China. A very old treatise titled 'History of Han Dynasty' suggested that this game was of Chinese origin. This book described a ball made of leather used to be played by foot. The playing ground was the courtyard of the Emperial palace and the occasion of playing was the birth anniversary of the Emperor. The players were mostly militarymen. It was called 'Tsu Chu'. Tsu meant 'to kick' while 'Chu' was the name of a ball made of leather. In this context 'Tsu Chu' is supposed to be the classical version of the modern football. A game of the like was prevalent in Japan. The sports scholars are of the impression that it was borrowed from China. In their view football originated around 2500 years ago. In Japan this game was named 'Kemari'. The ancient Greeks played a similar game 'Episkuros'. The Romans also played such as game named 'Harpastum'. The Greco-Roman format of this game is analogous to modern rugby. Archaeological findings in Mexico evidenced the existence of this game there. After the conquest of Britain by Roman Empire, a cavalry brought it in the British soil where from it spread elsewhere. In the medieval Italy a football-like game 'Calcio' (Kick) was in practice which earned popularity in the whole of Europe. At the same time, a mass game named 'Melee' began to flourish. Several hundred people took part in the game simultaneously. It would often led to quarrel and conflict among the participants in the absence of any regulating rules. To protect the patrons and the participants of the quarrelsome game the conscious section of the people of Britain persuaded King Edward II to stop its practice in 1314. Notwithstanding the opposition of Scottish lawyers the game was reintroduced in Britain in a revised format. Thus it blossomed in England. It is told that modern football first started in Normandy. England is said to be the architect and father of contemporary football. It took football in Brazil, Denmark and Russia and throughout the territories of the vast British Empire. At the advent of the 17th century, the Cambridge University permitted its students to play football. In 1846, this world renowned seat of higher education, for the first time framed the rules for football, determined the size of playing field and the number of players. In these rules the use of hand in football was restricted. These were the prelude to the establishment of an association of football. The first ever football club came into being in Sheffield of England in 1850. From 1860 rugby, football and soccer were treated as different games. On 26th of October 1863, the delegates of II football clubs sat in London to deliberate and decide on the formation of a football association. Thus the association was formed. The newly created Football Association and the Sheffield Club entered into an agreement in 1866. As an outcome of this agreement the system of goal kick and comer kick was introduced respectively in 1869 and 1872. 1874 saw the assignment of a 'referee' to conduct and control the game. The first ever international football competition of modern era took place in 1872 between England and Scotland. The modern football originated in England first appeared as a discipline in the 11th Olympic Games of the modern era held in Paris, France in 1900. This was the historical turning point from which football started its chequered journey to attain universality within the next couple of decades. French aristocrat, educationist and idealist, Baron Pierre de Coubertin played the prime role in establishing International Olympic Committee in 1894 in Paris to organise modern Olympic Games in the light of these games held in ancient Greece. Coincidentally yet another Frenchman, conceived the idea of a world tournament of the ancient game of football. On 21st May, 1904 representatives of Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Holland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland established Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) in Paris to develop, govern and regulate football internationally. The second president of FIFA Jules Rimet and its official Secretary Henri Delauney, also a French national, jointly came up with the idea of a football tournament of world standing. But their joint move was not to be crowned with success shortly due to World War I. After 26 years of establishment of FIFA, the dream of Jules Rimet and his fellow countryman Henry Delauney came true. The first World Cup Football was held in 1930 which was participated by only 13 countries. Holland, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden offered candidature to host the game. But FIFA awarded it to Uruguay, the Latin American country which was the incumbent Olympic Football Champion and was celebrating its 100 years of independence. Montevedio was the proud host city of 1st FIFA World Cup. Uruguay emerged as the first World Cup champion and Argentina became runners-up. The trophy was given the name 'Jules Rimet Cup' to honour the FIFA President. It was stolen from an exhibition in London in 1966 and subsequently found by a small dog named Pickle from under a hedge. As winner for the third term in IX World Cup Football in Mexico 1970, Brazil was given the cup for good which was again stolen in 1983 never to be found or recovered. Another new trophy named FIFA Cup was first presented to the champion West Germany of the X World Cup held there in 1974. In sporting arena the FIFA Cup Championship is termed as the greatest show on Earth. And the governing body of football FIFA is the largest non government organisation having 208 member associations all over the world. The ex secretary general of the United Nations Organisation H E Kofi Annan once remarked that football is "the only truely global game." On the occasion of the 100th birthday of FIFA he also termed football as the "world's game." This world's game is controlled, governed and regulated by FIFA, the world's biggest organisation with the assistance of and in association with its 208 members representing their respective countrynationterritory and 6 confederations on continentalregional basis viz: l Asian Football Confederation (AFC) l Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) l Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) l Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) l Union des associations europeennes de football (UEFA) and l Confederacion Sudamericana de Futbol (CONMEBOL) FIFA strongly advocates and upholds the equality of men and women in the pursuit of this 'beautiful game'. To translate into reality FIFA's belief in gender equalisation and women empowerment in footballing FIFA Women's World Cup was introduced in 1991. This year the VI FIFA Women's World Cup has been successfully organised in Germany. Besides developing and governing football globally, controlling and co ordinating FIFA WC, FIFA Women's World Cup and other age group World Football Championships FIFA is engaged in and spending a huge sum of money in many humanitarian and philanthropic activities as corporate social responsibility. FIFA has undertaken and successfully implemented some projects in this area. Some of these are goal projects to render financial assistance and logistic support to the member associations in building physical facilities is respect of official accommodation. Bangladesh Football Federation is also a beneficiary of this project. FIFA Tsunami Task Force and Tsunami Solidarity Fund mobilised financial assistance to severe tsunami-hit countries including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This great human tragedy occurred in December 2004. FIFA spent around 10 million US dollar under this project. The Football for Hope project initiated in the nineties defends 'the rights of children and teenagers, spreads the message of peace, combats discrimination and safeguards good health.' In its humanitarian, philanthropic and social development activities all over the world FIFA sometimes works alone and sometimes in partnership with United Nations Organisation and its agencies such as UNICEF, ILO, WHO, UNEP, UNPD etc. It also works with NGOs like SOS and FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) Network etc. Interestingly, introduction of football in Bangladesh or Bengal in the Indian Sub Continent under the British colonial rule is contemporaneous to the origin and development of the game in Britain especially in England. In the sub continent the game first started in Calcutta, the then capital of British India and commercial, cultural and educational hub of India. The Britons brought it to Bengal. The match between Calcutta Civilian Club representing the civil society or civilians in general and Gentleman's Club of the Barrackpore soldier camp held in April 1854 was the first of its kind in the sub continent. Actually the British soldiers and merchants are the introducers of this game in Bengal. The contribution of Calcutta in the development of football in this region is very significant. Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari Roy sincerely worked for spreading this game. The youth including the students were attracted to football. Kumartuli Club and Nation Club were founded in 1885 at the initiative mostly of students. These were the first football clubs of the sub continent. Mohanbagan which contributed immensely in developing and popularising football in whole of India was established in 1899. The interest of the people of Bengal in football prompted the English organisers among others Mr RC Lindsey and Mr CAB Brown to introduce IFA Shield (Indian Football Association) in 1893. This was a major milestone of development of football in India. Mohammedan Sporting Club played a pivotal role in this respect. In 1898 Calcutta Football League was launched. It would be interesting to note that the most important players of the IFA Shield winning team of Mohanbagan were from East Bengal. Two brothers from Faridpur Shiv Das Bhaduri and Bijoy Das Bhaduri were in the team of which Shiv Das was the captain. Another of their brother Ram Das founded the oldest club of Dhaka named Wellington Club which was named Wari Club in 1984. It did a lot for the growth of football in this region. Mohammedan Sporting Club not only clinched IFA Shield more than once but was also instrumental to a great extent for the social and cultural uplifting of the backward Muslims of Bengal. It is credited for the Muslim renaissance in the arena of sporting culture in the then Bengal. On November 21, 1937 Dhaka Sports Association defeated the famous English Corinthians. Pakhi Sen, a Jagannath College student, scored the winning goal. After the partition of India in 1947 Dhaka became the centre of sporting activities including footballing in the territory which would be created into Bangladesh in 1971. From 1947 to 1970 the organisers and players of the then East BengalPakistan dominated the football arena of the erstwhile Pakistan. Clubs based in Dhaka namely Victoria, Dhaka Wanderers, Wari, Gymkhana, Mohammedan, BG Press, etc transformed football as the most widely played and popular game in East Bengal. Some of the best footballers of this period were Maari (Chingla Mong Chowdhury), SA Zaman Mukta, Ashraf Ahmed, Gaznabi, Nabi Chowdhury, Kabir Ahmed, Ranjit Das, Bashir Ahmed, Hafizuddin, Pratap Shankar Hazra, Zakaria Pintu, Nurunnabi and Golam Sarwar Tipu. They were the true successors of the legendary Samad, Hafez Rashid, Chunna Rashid and Shaheb Ali. Bengali footballers dominated the football of the then Pakistan. Football and footballers played a very striking role in the independence of Bangladesh. During the Liberation War of 1971 Bangladesh Krira Samity was formed with the approval of the government of Bangladesh in exile. The acting President Syed Nazrul Islam and Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed were patrons. Afterwards Swadhin Bangla Football Team was formed with Zakaria Pintoo as captain, Tanvir Mazhar Tanna as manager and Nani Basak as coach. Others featured in the team were Pratap Sarkar Hazra (co captain), Ainul Haque, Shahjahan Alam, Kaikobad, TaslimUddin Ahmed, Ali Imam, Saidur Rahman Patel, Ashraf, Nurunnabi (later a Major General of Bangladesh Army), Nousheruzzarnan, Enayetur Rahman, Kazi Sala Uddin (incumbent President of Bangladesh Football Federation), Lalu, Amalesh Sen, Bimal, Abdul Hakim, Khokon Shubash, Lutfor Rahman, Mujibur Rahman, Shiru, Sayeed, Piara, Nihar, Gobindo Kundu, Aniruddha, Sattar, Biru, Monem, Suruj Mahmud, Sanjit, Khaleque and Mozammel. Arun Nandi (the legendary swimmer), Rakibul Hasan (Ex cricketer), Ataul Haque Mallick (football referee) and others helped the samity and the team. The team earned a good sum of money from the matches they played in different parts of India. Almost the whole of the money was donated in the liberation war fund of the government in exile. Arun Nandi also earned a lot of money by long duration and record breaking swimming in Calcutta. He also donated the money in the said fund. The role of footballers of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team is unprecedented in the history of liberation war of any nation. After Bangladesh emerged as an independent sovereign country Bangladesh Football Federation was set up along with other national federations. The fundamental objective of BFF is to organise and develop football in the country. A good number of clubs have been established. Among those Abahani, Muktijoddha, Sheikh Russell, etc are notable. These clubs along with older ones are playing a good role for the good of football. In the international footballing arena Bangladesh clinched SAF Football Championship. Bangladesh Reds became champion in the 6th President Gold Cup Tournament. Many international and regional tournaments have so far been organised by BFF. A few of those are silver jubilee of independence Bangabandhu Cup, AFC President's Cup, SAF Football Championship, etc. Along with other footballing nations BFF has introduced Professional League and Women's Football. Bangladesh has commendably hosted the Ist South Asian Women's Football Championship in 2010. With the assistance and co operation of FIFA and AFC, BFF is moving forward with increasing activities to uplift football. The visit of FIFA President Joseph S Blatter in the recent past has been very much encouraging. Some Bangladeshi football organisers were and are associated with regional, continental and world body of football in respectable positions including SAF Secretary General, SAF President, AFC Vice-President, AFC Women Football Committee Member, FIFA Standing Committee Member, etc. The apex sports education centre of the country, Bangladesh sports institute (BKSP), has football in its curriculum. Some of the ex students of this institution are playing in the national team of Bangladesh. Football is mixed with the blood of Bangladeshi people. It is the game of the heart of the people irrespective of age and social standing. Fondness for football forms part of the sports psyche of the people of Bangladesh. It has been a truth since the pre partition days of the thirties. The love for football and the psychological attachment of Bangladeshi people to football take a concrete shape during the days of the FIFA World Cup Championship. The whole of Bangladesh becomes jubilant as if it is the host country. In every village and town including the cities houses are adorned with festoons. Millions of flags of Brazil, Argentina, England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain and other football giants are hoisted by the villagers, townsfolk and city dwellers. Now a days millions of football fans enjoy the games in large screens with the advancement of science and technology especially IT. The football-hearted Bangladeshi people are having manifold ways and means to exhibit their fondness for football - the 'beautiful' and 'world's game' and enjoy it in a diverse way. In any analysis football is interwoven with our national tradition, heritage and culture.