'Jummon bhai above all'
Colleagues, successors, admirers and well wishers poured in numbers to see the body of late hockey legend Jummon Lusai yesterday. The body of the iconic hockey player, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 59, was brought in the morning at the Abahani Club tent, which had long been his home.
The officials and players of Abahani paid their respects before the body was taken to the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium where Jummon had spent more than two decades of his playing career before becoming a coach.
Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, a legend of Bangladesh national football team as well as Abahani, spoke of Jummon's appeal to others.
“The footballers had a great relationship with Jummon. He used to celebrate any football victory with us,” recalled the great goal-poacher of the '80s.
Jummon's death has seemingly made the hockey factions forget their differences for the moment. Officials of Mohammedan, Mariner Youngs and Bangladesh Boys – who boycotted hockey league last year and are still staying away from hockey activities alleging Abahani's clout over the federation – came to the stadium to show their solidarity.
“Jummon bhai is above all. We used to love him for his personality too, apart from his performances. Whenever we had any troubles on the pitch, Jummon bhai would come forward and everyone would listen to him,” reminisced Hasan Ullah Khan Rana, the general secretary of Mariner Youngs.
Jummon's body was later taken to his hometown Sylhet, where his funeral is expected to be held at the Christian Cemetery on Thursday, informed the late hockey legend's younger brother Jubel Lusai.
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