National cricket and football  players received Sheikh Kamal gold medals 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Sheikh Kamal was a man with multidimensional talents and he could have given many things to the nation had he been alive.

She said there is a need for multidimensional talents to project the nation before the world and Sheikh Kamal was such a talent.

"Sheikh Kamal had no greed for anything and used to lead a simple life.....his only goal was giving scope for sports and games to the youth and setting an example before the nation," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing as the chief guest a discussion on the occasion of the 66th birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal, eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and founder of Abahani Limited.

Chairman of Board of Directors of the club Salman F Rahman presided over the function, while Director of the club Kazi Nabil Aahmed, MP, gave the welcome address at the function held at Abahani Ltd at Dhanmondi here this afternoon.

Barrister Sheikh Fazley Noor Taposh, MP, directors of the club Anjan Chowdhury Pintu and Harun-or-Rashid, Chairman of Sheikh Kamal Sports Complex and President of Bangladesh Cricket Board Nazmul Hasan Papon, MP, President of Abahani Samarthak Goshthi Mir Nizamuddin Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.

Ministers, parliament members, officials and players of different clubs and leaders and workers of Awami League and its associate bodies were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Prime Minister placed a wreath at the portrait of Shaheed Sheikh Kamal on the club premises. She also unveiled the plaque of the foundation stone of the age-based academy of Abahani Limited.

Later, the Prime Minister handed over Sheikh Kamal Gold Medals 2014 to six sports personalities. They are skipper of Bangladesh National Football Team Mamunul Islam, world's best cricket allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, goalkeeper of National Hockey Team Ashim Kumar Gope, former president of Abahani Club Shamsul Islam Khan (posthumously), organizers Dr Kazi Anis Ahmed and Nazmul Hasan Papon.

She also handed over crest to the Abahani Table Tennis Team, which became hattrick champions in Table Tennis League.

The Prime Minister said though Sheikh Kamal was two years younger than her, he was very meritorious and intelligent. "He used to sing song and play 'sitar' side by side with involving with politics and sports and games," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Sheikh Kamal, as a central committee member of Bangladesh Chhatra League, played a pioneering role in all movements including the War of Liberation in 1971.

Highlighting the background of establishing the country's most modern sports club by Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Hasina said the club was his heart.

"After the independence, he established Abahani Krira Chakra with an aim to build the youths of Dhanmondi area with the mentality of culture and sports and games," she said.

In this connection, the Prime Minister cited an example of Sheikh Kamal's love and affection to Abahani.

"Before going to Germany on July 31 in 1975, I asked Sheikh Kamal what he needs. In reply, he ordered for Adidas boots for Abahani players," Sheikh Hasina, the eldest sister of Sheikh Kamal, said in an emotion-charged voice.

The Prime Minister said Abahani Club had to face many storms and hurdles to sustain the club after the assassination of Bangabandhu and Sheikh Kamal. "The club survived as everybody was devoted to it, none left the club after the August 15 carnage," she said.

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina thanked the club officials, players as well as Abahani Samarthak Goshthi to stand beside the club during its bad time.

While talking about the plan of Abahani to set up Sheikh Kamal Sports Complex at its ground in Dhanmondi, the Prime Minister said the people of the area are leading a stereotyped life.

"But with the construction of the complex, it will create special scope for leading a beautiful life by the people," she said.

The Prime Minister said the complex with all facilities like sports and games for women and children and physical exercise is being excellently built and there would be no problem in building it as a most modern sports complex.

"Though it is a huge plan and costly project, there would be no problem in constructing the complex if those who have love for Abahani come forward to this end," she said.