Rafiqul Islam Kamal, one of the finest hockey players Bangladesh has ever produced, has paid rich tribute to veteran coach Fazlul Haque, who passed away in Dhaka on Wednesday. To Kamal, Fazlul was a 'member of the family' and a 'dedicated soul for Bangladesh hockey'. 

The coach, who hails from Shaheb Bazar in Old Dhaka and is popularly known as 'Ostad Fazlu' in the country's hockey fraternity, had played for several top-level clubs in the country in the 1980s and 1990s before dedicating his life to grooming young players. One of his most successful disciples was Kamal, who scored more than 200 goals in domestic hockey and a further 56 in the international circuit.

"He was family to me," Kamal told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday. "When he used to play for Usha [KC], he would come to my house in the morning, wake me up from sleep, and take me to the hockey field which instilled the passion for the game in me. He would often give his hockey sticks, jerseys, shin guards, etc."

Fazlul had a decent career in top-flight hockey, but could never make it to the national team. Once he was very close to making it, an injury to his eye compromised his chances. Since then his whole focus turned to playing domestic hockey and working with young boys and turning them into finished articles, many of whom have featured for the national team.

Kamal recollected how it was due to Fazlul's insistence that he became a hockey player.

"When I was called up for the school hockey team, it was 'Ostad' Fazlul who managed to convince my parents to allow me to take part," Kamal recalled with gratitude.

After calling an end to his career, Fazlul founded an academy at the Armanitola High School, a hallowed place in Bangladesh's history. He would spend his whole day coaching kids at the academy, barely caring about the well-being of himself and his family.

"His life was dedicated to hockey. He may not have had groceries at home, but he was present at the hockey field. He played hockey but didn't get much in return. He hasn't left much wealth for his family.

"He got a lot of love from the people. He was a very nice human being, apart from being a great hockey coach. The number of people that attended his namaz-e-janaza is a testament to how much loved he was."

Kamal urged the government and wealthy sports organisers to help out Fazlul's widowed wife and young daughter so that they could at least live a decent life.