Faraaz Gold Cup kicks off Intishar’s dream for the national team

Intishar Mostafa Chowdhury scored both the goals that clinched victory for Independent University (IUB) against Shanto-Mariam 2-0 recently at the Faraaz Gold Cup Inter-University Football Tournament that began on 21 September this year, organised by the Sonali Otit Club.

Intishar’s team mates were ecstatic. He had scored two goals in the previous match against Northern University, where IUB won 3-0. His performance has ensured IUB a place in the quarter finals.

The Faraaz Gold Cup football tournament began in 2017. It has been named in memory of Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, the valiant young man who sacrificed his life for his friends during the militant attack on the Holey Artisan restaurant on 1 July 2016.

Intishar Mostafa Chowdhury formerly played with Scotland’s Edinburgh FC. He now dreams of playing for the Bangladesh national team.

Intishar had gone to study at the Edinburgh University in Scotland four years ago. He tried out for the fourth division Edinburgh FC there and was selected. The next two years were all about football.

He is quite an all-rounder, actually, playing basketball and table tennis too. He even played for the Bangladesh national basketball team at the Asian Games in Jakarta. He has been playing in the national table tennis championship for the last two years.

Intishar has been invited to the basketball camp for the forthcoming SA Games. However, he won’t be able to join this camp at BKSP due to studies.

Intishar, from Kulshi, Chattogram, now studies media and communications at IUB. His main focus is on football.

Former national football captain Ashish Bhadra was impressed by Intishar’s performance and has advised him to take the game seriously. And Intishar has taken Ashish Bhadra’s words seriously too, saying, “Ashish sir has given me many tips. I am into football because of him.”

Given a choice of sports, football comes to the forefront for Intishar. But he is unhappy at not being able to play regularly.

“I enjoy football the most but can’t play as much as I want to because of studies and exams. There are no playing fields in Dhaka and we don’t get the chance to practice much. I play corporate football at times. Even our university doesn’t have a field.”

ULAB exited at the semi-finals last time. This striker is determined to take his team to the finals this year. “I aim at scoring 10 goals this time. I hope to perform well in every match. I have been man of the match in two games and that has boosted my confidence. It feels good to help the team to win.”

Intishar wants more tournaments like the Faraaz Gold Cup. “The Faraaz Inter-University Gold Cup is an important platform for us,” he said, adding “We wait for it all through the year.”

Intishar’s father Kamal Mostafa Chowdhury is the founder chairman and director of Standard Bank. He is the youngest among three brothers. His parents live in Chittagong while he has rented a house in Basundhara, Dhaka.

He has his father’s full support when it comes to football. “I enjoy football. I feel really bad when I see my childhood friends into drugs. My father is very happy I am not into all of that. He has confidence in me,” he said.

Intishar, the 5’10” striker, wants to play for the national team. He said, “I was called to play for the Under-21 team in 2014, but I had to go to Edinburgh then for studies so couldn’t play. But now if I get the chance, I’ll join the national team.”

* This piece appeared in Prothom Alo Online and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir