‘Hockey not dependent on any individual’
Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) president and Bangladesh Air Force Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat said yesterday that the country’s hockey scene will develop in its own way as ‘progress cannot be halted due to a single individual’.
Serniabat made these remarks in reference to BHF general secretary AKM Mominul Haque Shaeed, who is currently abroad following his alleged involvement in illegal gambling, after the game’s local governing body yesterday sat for its third meeting sans Shaeed.
At the meeting, nine sub-committees were formed to run the BHF’s regular activities and it was discussed how to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman next year. “It was a routine meeting which is very important for us because we discussed the programmes we want to hold in celebration of the 100th birthday of the father of nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We also discussed how to take the country’s hockey forward in the future,” said Serniabat during an interval of the meeting at Falcon Hall of Bangladesh Air Force yesterday.
“Those who are here are working to take hockey forward. The progress of hockey is not dependant on an individual, rather it is the collective effort of all stakeholders of the past and present. What we lack are artificial turfs at the district level. We should provide them but we could not. However, we sought the allocation from the government as we want to play the Hockey World Cup in 2022,” said the Air Chief Marshal.
Replying to a query, Serniabat said, “If anyone is accused of anything and that is taken before the court, then we can take action in line with the constitution of the hockey federation. Besides, there is also a provision to take action against the person who remains absent for three successive meetings or stays away from hockey activities for successive six months. But the time hasn’t come yet. Besides, no one has made any allegations against him [Mominul Haque Shaeed] to me though the things came in the media. Nothing depends on an individual. There is no chance to discuss it since everything is written in the constitution.”
The BHF president added that, “Everything has an alternative. If I’m not here, then there is the deputy. There are two joint secretaries if the general secretary is not there. The joint secretary will take over responsibilities and at this point we don’t have any problem.”
Serniabat seems more eager to learn how to take hockey forward, install tournaments for junior players, hold the premier league as well as continue training for players. He is also equally interested in taking women’s hockey forward following the national team’s good performance in the just concluded Women’s Junior (U-21) AHF Cup.