Former Bangladesh Cricket Board president Kamal Ziaul Islam, popularly known as KZ Islam, breathed his last in Dhaka Monday.
He was 86 at the time of his death.
Islam served as the board’s (then known as the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board) president from January 30, 1983 to February 18, 1987.
“He (KZ Islam) was a pioneer and Bangladesh cricket will forever be grateful to him for his vision and belief. He patronized and encouraged age-group cricket with the Nirman School Tournament during a period when the game was far from being a professional sport. Because of resourceful personalities like him, so many budding players could dream of becoming cricketers and cricket reached every corner of the country. On behalf of the board I extend deepest condolences and sympathies to the family of KZ Islam,” said BCB president Nazmul Hasan in his tribute to KZ Islam in a media release Monday.
Islam is widely credited for inspiring the age-group cricket structure in Bangladesh through the introduction of the Nirman School Cricket Tournament.
The tournament was a nationwide school cricket competition during his tenure as the president of the then BCCB.
Islam's company Nirman Constructions sponsored the tournament for 14 seasons at a stretch starting in 1982-83.
The tournament soon developed the image as the first step towards becoming a cricketer among the young schoolboys.
By its 14th year, the tournament turned big with the participation of around 400 schools from the journey that started with just 22 schools.
As a mark of respect to the late KZ Islam, the BCB will fly the flag at half-mast from Tuesday.
The namaz-e-janaza of the late KZ Islam will be held Monday after Isha prayers (before tarawih) at Gulshan Azad Mosque tentatively around 8pm and he will be buried at Banani graveyard Monday night.
