A different kind of football
Having thrown his loft-strand crutches to the wind after striking the decisive goal, Bayezid Bostami raced back to his own half post-haste while punching his fists through the air. Bayezid, who lost his left leg in an accident 10 years ago, then embraced his teammates during a seven-a-side football fest, a first of its kind initiative in Bangladesh, at the BFF astro-turf yesterday.
At the age of six, Bayezid was playing football by the roadside in Savar. At one stage the ball got away from him and when he went to collect it off the road, a truck ran over his leg. The leg then had to be amputated and the now 16-year-old’s life was forever changed.
However, the accident did not slow Beyazid down in the slightest. A well-known sportsman in Kuliarchar of Kishorganj, the eighth grade student has shown promise in football and cricket despite his impairment. Beyazid even competes against able-bodied athletes without his crutches and is sometimes hired by neighbouring villages to play cricket or football.
“I play football and cricket in our village without crutches. I even ran in more speed than what you saw today. I even climb up trees and I love playing cricket more than football. I think I play better cricket than those who play wheelchair cricket,” Bayezid said. “It would feel really good to represent Bangladesh at the international level and play nationally.”
The other players present at the football fest were also survivors of either road collisions or wrongful diagnosis with some of the players having undergone amputation at birth. Each tale was a unique and heart touching one but nothing could stop these youths from playing the sports they love or continue studying.
In 2014, Rahmatullah Babu fell under a bus in the capital’s Badda area while trying to get on said bus and subsequently had to have his right leg amputated. Rahmatullah, who trained with the Rahmatganj MFS youth team a one point, dreamed of becoming professional football player and so, even the loss of a leg could not stop him from playing the sport.
Rahmatullah also competes in athletics, swimming and basketball events under different organisations such as BRAC, ICRC and CRP.
“I have been playing sports since my school going days and have lot of certificates in sports,” Babu said. “I feel really good after playing such football which I never dreamt of. I feel like I am lucky as no one thinks of us.”
Nafiur Rahman, who was one of the players who had undergone amputation at birth, wasn’t allowed to play sports alongside the able-bodied children. This may have hurt him deeply but the now 12th grade student never gave up and continues to play amputee football and wheelchair cricket while also taking part in swimming events.
“During my childhood, I watched other boys playing football, cricket and other sports but I wasn’t allowed to play. I started playing football wheelchair cricket and at the age of 14. I can now ride a cycle and bike. We can win too,” said 19-year-old Nafiur.
Pabitra Kumar, who lost his leg in a train accident, was also present. The 29-year-old from Kurigram has not allowed his disadvantage to hold him back as he completed his masters in 2016. Kumar is currently searching for an occupation apart from playing sports.
The Imago Sports Welfare Association, in association with Confidence Group, Muslim Sweets, organised the football fest in a bid to give the amputee footballers a platform to play nationally and internationally.