Tributes poured in for the late Monzur Hasan Mintu as officials, organisers, players, journalists and commentators paid their last respects at his namaz-e-janaza at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Veteran sports journalist Mohammed Quamruzzaman said Monzur was the epitome of all sportsmen across the country. “He loved sports. He was the goalkeeper of the Pakistan football team at the 1958 Asian Games. Though he was a government official, sports was in his heart.
He was also the pioneer of sports commentary in the country. He was my friend for the last 60 years. I will miss him deeply.”
National Sports Council secretary Shibnath Roy, Bangladesh Cricket Board directors Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby and Jalal Younus, CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Football Federation executive committee members Harun-ur Rashid, Badal Roy and Fazlur Rahman Babul, general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, former star footballer and minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, former secretary Akhter Hossain, Bangladesh Women’s Sports Association, Bangladesh Athletics Federation, Wanderers Club, Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association, Bangladesh Sports Writers Association and Bangladesh Sports Journalists Community all placed floral bouquets in honour of his contribution to sports.
Monzur, 78, recently visited India along with his wife to offer prayers at the Dargah Sharif in Ajmer. Last Tuesday, the couple reached Jaipur where Monzur collapsed at a hotel bathroom and started vomiting. After being taken to a nearby hospital, the doctors later declared him dead.
