Perhaps many people in Bangladesh, alongside south Asia, already know about the indelible marks left in the football arena by Kazi Salahuddin, now the president of the Bangladesh Football Federation.
One of the greatest footballers Bangladesh has ever produced, Salahuddin was a household name in the country’s football scene, someone who dominated the oppositions with his bagful of skills and trickeries after the liberation war in 1971.
But not many perhaps know about his selfless contributions during the duration of the bloody liberation war, which he discussed in details in an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation, taken last year in March.
Salahuddin was part of the largely successful Swadhin Bangla Football Team that toured India in 1971 for a total of 16 matches which were organized with the intention of raising funds for the war, winning 12 times.
Salahuddin, then 17 years old and a bright young talent plying his trade with Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited, fondly recalled the time when he raised Bangladesh’s flag at Krishnanagar Stadium in West Bengal prior to their first game in July.
“I will remember that day till the day I die. For the first time, Bangladesh’s flag was raised proud and high. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, I scored once. Since then I didn’t have to look back. We played 16 games at different places in India. Wherever we played, there were crowds ranging from 20,000-40,000,” said Salahuddin.
“When we raised the Bangladesh flag at Krishnanagar, back then Bangladesh was not yet recognized by the world. So we are the first who raised the Bangladesh flag in a foreign land. It was a moment of great self-satisfaction. I feel proud.”
Salahuddin, now 65, said the Swadhin Bangla Football Team had a great camaraderie among themselves during their training sessions, and that those early days of struggle had helped him to become a better footballer.
“The 25 of us slept in the same room. There was one place for taking shower, and one toilet. The money that we got as daily allowance, we could only eat two meals everyday. What I did back then, I used to work really hard, took my shower and ate my first meal at 12pm. I had my second meal at 6:30pm. This shortage of money actually helped me to become a better footballer, because I worked really hard,” explained the BFF boss.
The Swadhin Bangla Football Team were formed by the Bangladesh provisional government, and it was decided that they would tour India and represent Bangladesh, and their fight for independence.
Salahuddin reminisced how he was helped by a photo journalist back then in his and his teammates’ pursuit of traveling to Kolkata.
Salahuddin said, “The photo journalist boarded me in an Indian cargo plane and told me that I would have to undertake this long journey just by standing inside the plane. I said I have no problems in doing so.”
Following nine months of war, Bangladesh finally gained independence when the Pakistan army surrendered on December 16, and Salahuddin has the memories of that day in India firmly in the back of his mind.
“That was a rest day for us. I had some money left, with that I took a teammate to the cinema. While the cinema was being played, everyone suddenly started shouting and the hall’s lights were lit up. I was thinking, what is happening, has war started in Kolkata also? The whole city was dark,” said Salahuddin.
“They used to be fearful that the Pakistan Air Force might attack them. Then I heard that Pakistan surrendered and Bangladesh gained independence. Me and my friend took to the street. I saw that the Indians were actually celebrating more than us. We knew some people in that neighborhood, they shook hands with us and embraced us. We were so happy, we ate at different hotels and spent our entire money on that very night.”
When Salahuddin returned home after the tour, a relieved family was waiting for him.
“When I knocked on the door, I could hear my mother’s voice inquiring who was on the other side of the door. I shouted, saying I was back. She ran towards the door, embraced me and didn’t let go. She couldn’t believe that I came back,” said Salahuddin.
Looking back in time, Salahuddin said they had firmly achieved their objective back then, of portraying Bangladesh to India and the world as a country of culture, education and sports.
Salahuddin concluded, “Whatever we wanted to achieve in that tour, we were successful. We wanted the world to know how developed our personality is, and how educated we are as a nation. We were able to achieve this objective.”