He remained unconscious on bed number 10 of the new Intensive Care Unit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University with the life support system highlighting “no response”. The shy eyes remained closed as the ever smiling face fared no sign of life, Jumman Lusai, the iconic name of Bangladesh hockey, had passed away. He was 59.
The big hearted defender, who was like an indomitable tiger with the hockey stick in the field, was rushed to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital after he suffered a brain haemorrhage at Abahani Club premises in Dhanmondi on Friday. He was later shifted to the BSMMU where he was kept on life support. The doctors said the kidneys, liver, and brain of the iconic sportsman had been seriously affected.
Marma ingenious Jumman hailed from Sylhet and he represented the heritage of a royal sports family with his cousins - Donnon Lusai and Rama Lusai - playing hockey and football at national level. He was in fact the last among the national level players in his family as his younger cousin Biyaka Lusai played in the top premier division hockey clubs but never made it to the national team.
Jumman’s playing career began with Bangladesh Police in 1980 and after two years he got his national call up. After featuring for seven years in the national side, Jumman last played in 1989, the year when he was selected in the World XI and the achievement remains an untouched milestone till date.
In 1985, against Iran in the 2nd Asia Cup in Dhaka, he became the first Bangladeshi to score a hat-trick, all the goals coming from penalty corners, in international hockey. Jumman’s knot with Abahani was as strong as it gets. He wore the Sky Blue jersey for more than a decade and stood tall in the defence line as Abahani bagged numerous local titles before he retired from club hockey in 1994.
Hockey was his first love while Abahani was the second. He never played club hockey apart from Abahani and remained loyal to the sky-blues even after retiring and played various roles – sometimes an assistant coach, sometimes as a coach and even an adviser.
Shy and introvert in nature, Jumman always greeted others with a mild smile that will now be missed in the hockey arena. His wife and three children reside in Mizoram, India. His body will be taken to Sylhet for funeral today after Abahani club (10am) and the hockey federation (12pm) pay their final respect to the legend.
Jumman’s last appearance on the hockey turf was in December 16, 2014, in an exhibition match organised by the federation on the occasion of International Hockey Federation president Leandro Negre’s arrival. He still looked in fine tune, scoring a goal as his team won. A born winner, Jumman celebrated the victory but lost the battle against the inevitable destination of human life. Jumman, rest in peace.
