There was a time when the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) was a formidable force in the country's football scene. Then, at the start of the 80s the team went into decUne, vanishing from the picture in the middle of the decade to gradually become a distant memory in the minds of fans. The good news for former fans is that the BJMC team is back into the fold reincarnated as Team BJMC, according to an announcement by Jute and Textile minister Abdul Latif Biswas at the NSC Auditorium yesterday.
With the star striking duo of Salam Murshedi and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, BJMC last emerged league champions in 1979 and became joint champions with Brothers Union in the 1980 Federation Cup. However, was relegated to the Second Division in the 1983-84 season and since then it was all downhill as the BJMC faced financial crisis.
“BJMC has been recovering its losses fast and heading towards being a profitable organisation, and so we have taken the initiative to revive our football team. It is a new birth of Team BJMC, which will start its journey as a child and we expect cooperation from all to help this team walk,” said Biswas during the function at NSC, which included discussions of their future plans for Team BJMC as
well as a reception for former and current BJMC athletes of different disciplines.
The Jute and Textile minister appealed to the Bangladesh Football Federation to give Team BJMC a place in the country's professional football league from the next season.
"I would be happy to see a worthy side playing the professional football league. I have no problems if they form a worthy team with proper budget, players and provide adequate training facilities. I will even amend laws if necessary,” said BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, who was also attending the programme, adding that he enjoyed a good relationship with Latif Biswas since 1972.
Earlier, BFF senior vice president Salam Murshedi and vice president Badal Roy said that they had no doubt about BJMC's organisational skills and requested the president to consider the matter.
The red and green jersey of Team BJMC was also revealed on the occasion along with the logo of the team.
Apart from Team BJMC, the Jute minister urged the sports minister to hold 'Road Show' in every district to raise awareness and interest for sport among the youth, adding that his ministry would work under the instructions of the sports ministry.
"Only sports can protect the children from social anarchy and we will sponsor and provide spaces in Dhaka,
Khulna, Jessore, Rajshahi for training if the sports ministry comes forward to take initiatives.
“Let's try to do something better for the next generation as we have to take every sector forward if we want to take our country ahead,” said Latif Biswas, who mentioned that he was not an athlete but has worked as president of a football team for 17 years.
Biswas also said that they are thinking of introducing a quota for athletes at BJMC and taking initiatives to revive sports across the country.
Five organisers and 55 renowned former and current athletes, who are also employees of BJMC and achieved gold medals at international and national level, have been accorded a reception. Among them, SA Game's first gold medallist in athletics Mojibur Rahman Mallik, DU blue and400m gold medallist Tofazzal Hossain, Jesim Akhter, NilufarYeasmin, Abdul Kuddus, defending sprint champion Nazmun Nahar Beauty, discus thrower Akhirunnesa, high jumper Sajib Hossain, Shah Alam, former footballers Salam Murshedi and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam were some notable names.
Sports minister Ahad Ali Sarker, sports secretary Mahbub Ahmed, Jute and Textile secretary Ashraful Kabir, BOA vice president Mizanur Rahman Manu, BJMC chairman TD Mitra and its director Arif Khan Joy also spoke on the occasion.