Mohammedan’s forever 12th man, Ata Bhai, no more

Every powerhouse football club has its legends. Some wear boots, some wear armbands. Then there are those who never step onto the pitch. They sit in the stands, season after season, rain or shine, victory or humiliation. They sing when the stadium is full and shout even louder when it is empty. For Mohammedan Sporting Club, that voice belonged to Ataur Rahman, affectionately known as Ata Bhai.

That familiar figure will no longer be seen in the heart of the Black and Whites' stands. Ata Bhai passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 82, leaving a silence that will be hard to fill.

Former Mohammedan and national team captain Imtiaz Sultan Jonny, still involved with the club, spoke of him with emotion: "From my playing days, I saw how deep his dedication was to Mohammedan. It's very hard to find a die-hard supporter like him nowadays. He inspired players and fans alike.

"Losing Ata Bhai feels like losing a brother. My heart feels heavy."

Founded in 1936, Mohammedan is one of Bangladesh's oldest and most successful football clubs, with a storied history of domestic titles and fierce rivalries, particularly with Abahani. During some of Mohammedan's leanest years in the professional league, Ata Bhai could still be heard roaring from the National Stadium. His sharp words for underperforming players and officials became part of the matchday theatre. Rival fans were not spared, but beneath the anger was fierce, unshakable love.

Even after the top-tier league moved outside Dhaka following National Stadium renovations in 2021, his connection to the club never faded.

"It is also tough to describe him. He was obsessed with Mohammedan, more than anything, even more than his own family," said journalist Arifur Rahman Babu.

"He became known in the late 1980s. He once told me he watched Pakistani footballer Ali Newas from the gallery, which means he had been watching matches even before the Liberation."

Around the world, football fans remember Spain's Manolo el del Bombo, Argentina's 'El Tula', or Liverpool's lifelong supporters, whose devotion is woven into the history of their teams. In Bangladesh, Mohammedan had its very own.

The club paid tribute by draping his coffin in the iconic black-and-white flag at his residence in Tikatuli, Motijheel.

Woven into the living memory of the club, Ata Bhai's chant has just ended, but it will continue to echo in the gallery he never abandoned.