In a major loss to the Bangladesh cricketing fraternity, former coach Syed Altaf Hossain passed away in Dhaka on Tuesday. Considered as a premier coach since the independence of Bangladesh, he served the national side during the 1990 Aisa cup. He is also known for the upliftment of the women’s cricket in the country.
Following the news of his unfortunate demise, a one-minute silence was observed ahead of the of the Dhaka Premier League Twenty20 match between Abahani Limited and Prime Bank Cricket Club at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan expressed his condolences and said, “We have lost an architect who had shaped the return of cricket in Bangladesh following independence in 1971. He had the most pleasant personality and was respected by all for his selfless commitment to our cricket.”
About Late Syed Altaf Hossain
Born in 1938, Hossain was a bowling all-rounder in his early days. He was the first cricketer from erstwhile East Pakistan to be called up for the Pakistan national cricket team in 1965. He was also a National Sports Awardee (1999) for his remarkable contribution to the sports.
He retired as a cricket coach from National Sports Council in 2006 but remained involved in the game via his coaching academy in Dhaka.