Some people are born to serve. Everyone around them gets blessed, get extremely benefitted from their commitment but unfortunately most of them fail to reciprocate his/her noble gesture. 
Let Ataul Haque Mallik the late all round personality of Bangladesh sports community was one such. 8 August was his 13th death anniversary. Unfortunately there were very few references about this selfless personality in Bangladesh media though many of the present day sports journalists and writers were his creation. Our Mallik Bhai was a reputed cricket and soccer player, FIFA accredited football referee, reputed cricket umpire, volleyball umpire, sports writer, sports commentator. He was also national award winner. I have no hesitation in admitting that he was one of the inspiration as well as my developing into some kind of sports writer. I like to record my sincerest gratitude to him on the occasion of his 13th death anniversary and pray that Allah salvage her soul in Zannah.
Mallik Bhai was unassuming and a very simple soul. My acquaintance with him goes back since 1969 when National Sporting Club went to Faridpur for a friendly visit. As a teenager of 15 years I played against his team and collected his autograph. Later, after independence my friend Ekramuzzaman again introduced me with him when we started writing on sports. Zaman Bhai and Mallik Bhai greatly inspired us in writing regularly in the weekly sports pages of dailies. We were also involved with Bangladesh Krira Lekhak Samity (BKLS) where Mallik bhai was one of the key members right from the start. I remember when great Robin Marler visited Dhaka stadium along with Zaman Bhai I had opportunity to get a comment written on BKLS note book and hand over to Mallik Bhai when he came to BKLS office. From 1977-1981 BKLS office at Dhaka stadium was almost our second home where we spent every evening till mid night. Used to see how Mallik Bhai used to guide new writers. He used to inspire younger sports enthusiasts for sports writing, cricket umpiring and sports commentary.
Our association grew deeper when Sports world/Krirajagat was launched from Bangladesh Kira Niyontron Songstha (BKNS) which later became BSCB. In my BUET days I used to write a lot on sports in different dailies, weeklies and periodicals, used to play soccer and cricket, was associated in cricket and football clubs and associations. Mallik Bhai, Hamid Bhai and Zaman were inspiration. I have eye witnesses’ evidences how Mallik Bhai used to inspire the Sports world /Krirajagat team in its early years. 
I cannot help mentioning a day’s event. I was associated with Bangladesh Cricket team in early years somehow. Sri Lankan cricket team was on a visit to Bangladesh. We all know that Bangladesh Cricket team in early years had so much of challenges in playing against quality opposition. In a match at Faridpur Bangladesh team was badly beaten. After we returned to Dhaka we read one “Sanaul Huq Khan” wrote “We want Court Marshall of Cricket” in a sports magazine “Gallery”. I was visiting Mallik Bhai after returning from Faridpur. I saw a person seating in his desk and he was not known to me at that time. When Mallik Bhai asked me to write on Bangladesh team performance in Faridpur I said “Mallik Bhai, who is Poet Sanaul Huq? What the hell he knows about cricket? There is huge difference in quality and experience between the two teams. Playing cricket and writing poems are not the same.” Believe it or not poet cum sports writer Sanaul Huq was there. Mallik Bhai very calmly managed the situation and we became good friends from then on.
Mallik Bhai had one aide named Manik. In our BUET days 1973-1977 me, Khaled, Maung, Mahamudur Rahman were regular visitors of Zaman Bhai and Mallik Bhai for reading sports books and magazines. Mallik Bhai always used to treat us with Tea and Puri which Manik used to fetch from somewhere. We remember he had a watch repairing shop near Baitul Mukarram mosque. He used to ride a bike and had a bag which was like a black box of records and information. 
We played soccer and cricket together for the BKLS team against many oppositions- local and foreign. Some of the notable matches were against foreign diplomat’s team both in soccer and cricket. I remember how we played with great team spirits. I owe him a lot for introducing me as sports commentator in radio and TV in 1977.
Mallik Bhai was my family friend. He was one of the evidence of my marriage in 1981. I got transferred to BGSL Comilla in 1982 and got involved in very busy professional works. I was general secretary BKLS at that time. Mallik Bhai took lot of responsibility from me. After 1982 my links with sports writing started getting thinner. Still I continued writing for Krirajagat mainly from inspiration of Mallik Bhai and late Salma Apa. In 1989 while working as Manager SGFL at Sylhet I invited BKLS cricket team to Sylhet. Mallik Bhai led the BKLS cricket team which lost to my team I developed there. That was almost my last free time I had with Mallik Bhai.
I used to read his sports column and listen to his voice on Radio and television regularly and could hardly meet him otherwise till very shocking news I read in the newspaper about his sudden demise from a road accident in the airport road in August 2001. His premature death definitely created a huge vacuum in the sports arena. He was a legend of a sports personality. He was a store house of information and records. His bag which I call a black box had world of information about Bangladesh sports past and contemporary.
Hiz death my made many us loose one of the best friend, well-wisher and guide. I will conclude this with a famous quote from Late Indira Gandhi which I saw on the table of a Caribbean Professor at South Alberta Institute of Technology at Calgary.
“There are no categories of people in the world. One, who do the work and other who take the credit, my father advised me to remain in the first group as there is no mad rush to remain there.”
August 8 was his thirteenth death anniversary. I was shocked noting that there were only very few references about our Mallik Bhai although many of the present days leading sports journalists got initial inspiration from Mallik Bhai. He was also National sports award winner. The nation which does not honor its heroes soon finds no heroes born to them.
History actually ultimately beckons the unsung heroes like our late Ataul Mallik Bhai. I am sure his memory will live long through his works and deeds.
BDST:1112 HRS, AUG 09,2014
