Poverty forced Shaheen Alam to cycle 10 kilometres every day to Kurigram stadium for practice for months.
His dogged determination paid off in the long run. Shaheen returned home on Friday to a hero’s welcome. He was part of the young Tigers who defeated India to claim the world championship trophy in South Africa on February 9.
“I feel proud to have been able to bring glory to the country,” the pacer said after paying tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War. “I’ve signed an agreement [with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)] for the next two years for the U-21 team. I’ll try to do better.”
Bijon Kumar Das, assistant coach of BCB’s Kurigram District, said Shaheen’s career took off in 2016 when he was first selected for the district Under-16 team. He received his first training in cricket from Monoj Kumar Das Moyna, coach of local Kurigram Cricket Academy.
Later, BKSP’s hunting team cricket coach Rousseau gave him a chance for training there in 2017 and he did not look back.
He visited Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the age-based group of the national team and finally, secured a place in the U-19 team.
Shaheen is the son of day labourer Shahadat Hossain and Satina Begum, a housewife, of Jamuna Paikpara village under Durgapur Union of Ulipur upazila. He is the youngest among his three siblings.
His parents said they regret that they could not help their son much due to poverty.
Sayeed Hasan Loban, General Secretary of Kurigram District Sports Association, said the boy cycled 10 kilometres to the Kurigram Stadium for practice but everyone was very helpful. “The people of Kurigram are very proud of him,” he said.
source: UNB
