Eminent cricket figure Jalal Chowdhury passes away

Former Bangladesh cricket team coach, prominent journalist and sports writer Jalal Ahmed Chowdhury breathed his last Tuesday morning. He was 74.

Jalal, who was regarded as one of the most revered personalities in the country’s cricket, was admitted to Anwer Khan Modern Hospital since September 15 with lung infection and breathing problem.

He was in ventilation for the last few days after his condition had deteriorated.

Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh secretary Debabrata Paul confirmed the news to the media Tuesday morning.

The veteran cricket personality was admitted to hospital on September 1 with lung infection and breathing problem.

The namaz-e-janaza of eminent cricket figure Jalal Ahmed Chowdhury was held at Bangabandhu National Stadium

After receiving treatment for a few days, he returned home.

But he was admitted to the hospital again on September 15 and later his health condition became worse. 

Jalal Ahmed Chowdhury was born in Sylhet and played cricket as a batsman who could keep wickets, and bowl some useful off-spin during the 1960s and 70s.

After his playing days, he became a coach and played key role in building the platform of the sports in the newly independent country. 

Many cricketing talents in the next few decades were spotted and nurtured by him, and helped the game grow as the number one sport in the land.

In his long and illustrious career, he has coached many successful clubs like Mohammedan, Kalabagan, Azad Boys and Sadharon Bima, among others.

He also coached the Bangladesh cricket team for a few terms.

As a coach he was also instrumental in building the national team of the 1997 ICC Trophy before West Indian Gordon Greenidge came to the helm. 

Jalal, who had enormous skill of depicting cricket with the flavor of poetry and rich language, became a stalwart in both Bengali and English cricket writing. 

He was the sports in-charge of English national daily Bangladesh Times during the 80s.

In the next decades and until his last breath, he was regarded as the most passionate, knowledgeable and aesthetic writer on cricket, making him a venerable person among the readers.

He also was the former general secretary of Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association and the guardian of the whole sports writing community for years.

Jalal, who eschewed prestigious government job early in his life for the sake of living with cricket, did not take the opportunity of living lavish life abroad and stayed alone at an Azimpur flat.

To many, he simply used to live in cricket.

After his demise, the eulogies were written throughout social media as many shared their memories with him, and organizations like Bangladesh Cricket Board, BSJA and Bangladesh Sports Press Association paid homage.