Tamim apologises for failing to acknowledge Cocos contribution

Athletes were honoured at a commemorative event held in memory of Arafat Rahman Coco, where Tamim Iqbal publicly expressed regret.

At a programme organised on Sunday by the Arafat Rahman Coco Memorial Trust Foundation, nine sportspersons were presented with the Coco Memorial Award.

Speaking at the event, former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal recalled the contributions of the late sports organiser Arafat Rahman Coco and expressed his remorse, saying:

“I told him that day, ‘No, Madam, I will speak.’ But unfortunately, I also failed. Over the years, I could not publicly appreciate him the way he truly deserved. For that, I apologise to his family.”

Tamim also remembered a conversation from 2013, when he went to invite former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to his wedding and discussed Coco’s contributions.

He further stated that without Coco, Bangladesh cricket would not have progressed so rapidly. Coco’s role in developing the ‘Home of Cricket’ in Mirpur and in planning a separate stadium was undeniable.

In reality, the game development structure built under Coco’s leadership paved the way for players like Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal to achieve high standards of skill in Bangladesh cricket.

Coco served as a member of the advisory council and chairman of the Games Development Committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board from 2002 to 2005. The memorial event stood as a special occasion to remember and honour his contribution to the country’s cricketing landscape.