PHOTO: SHEIKH MEHEDI MORSHED

My love for football began in school,” he recalled. “I played regularly and took part in annual sports competitions. One of my teachers, Kawsar Sir, encouraged me greatly. We also competed in inter-school tournaments, and that is where my passion for the game truly developed.

SHAH ALAM SHAZU

Long before he became one of Bangladesh’s most beloved actors, Azizul Hakim dreamt of making his name on the football pitch.

Best known for his memorable performances in television dramas during the 1990s, Hakim remains a familiar and cherished face to audiences across the country. Having begun his artistic journey with the theatre troupe Aranyak before moving into television, film, and eventually directing, few may know that he once enjoyed a promising football career in Dhaka’s First Division League.

Speaking to The Daily Star, the veteran actor reflected on a chapter of his life that might have led him down a very different path.

“My love for football began in school,” he recalled. “I played regularly and took part in annual sports competitions. One of my teachers, Kawsar Sir, encouraged me greatly. We also competed in inter-school tournaments, and that is where my passion for the game truly developed.”

Football was more than just a hobby in the Hakim household. His father was one of his biggest supporters and dreamt of seeing his son become a professional footballer.

“My father encouraged me in every possible way,” he said. “He bought all the equipment I needed and always believed I could become a top footballer. Football was his favourite sport as well, so perhaps I inherited that passion from him.”

After completing school, Hakim enrolled at Titumir College in Dhaka, where his commitment to football only intensified. He joined the college football team and regularly competed, nurturing ambitions that extended beyond the campus grounds.

Recalling his college days, he said that his classmate at Titumir College was actor Rubel. Sathi and Gama also played in the same team with him. During his school days, Munna, Anwar, Chio and Swapan were part of their team.

During his college years, his father dreamed that one day his son would play for the national team. “One day, my father took me to Mofiz Ahmed, who was then the manager of Victoria Sporting Club. At that time, Abdur Rahim was the coach. Mofiz chacha introduced me to the coach, and that is how he started playing for Victoria Sporting Club.”

The actor fondly remembers the era’s vibrant football culture, when Dhaka Stadium would overflow with passionate supporters.

“The stadium used to be packed,” he recalled. “One side would be filled with Abahani supporters and the other with Mohammedan fans. I supported Abahani, but I loved watching good football regardless of the team.”

As a forward for Victoria Sporting Club, Hakim competed against some of the strongest teams in domestic football, including Wari, Rahmatganj, BGMC and Brothers Union. Between 1975 and 1977, he played several seasons in the First Division League, collecting memories that remain vivid decades later.

“I spent most of my playing days at Dhaka Stadium,” he said. “Those years gave me countless unforgettable experiences.”

Hakim also remembers the football icons who inspired an entire generation.

“Monju bhai , Nannu bhai and Salahuddin were among the biggest stars of Dhaka football at the time,” he said. “They were the players everyone looked up to.”

Although football eventually gave way to acting, the sport has remained close to his heart. Today, he sees echoes of his own childhood dreams in his son, who has also developed a passion for the game.

“My son plays football now and dreams of becoming a good footballer,” Hakim said. “I encourage him just as my father encouraged me. Perhaps he inherited that love for football in the same way I inherited it from my father. Watching him play brings me great joy.”

For Azizul Hakim, football may not have become a lifelong profession, but the lessons, memories and dreams forged on the pitch continue to shape the person he is today.