How Bangladeshi sports clubs were named

One of the most successful teams in the history of club football, Real Madrid was founded as Madrid Football Club in 1092. The club had been known as Madrid Football Club for 18 years before the title "Real" (Spanish for "royal") was bestowed on it by King Alfonso XIII in 1920. 

Like Real Madrid, the history of how prominent clubs were named is well-known. You can find enough information about the naming of famous cricket clubs like London Club, Dartford Club, Slindon Club and Marylebone Cricket Club.

But can you find information on the internet about the same when it comes to Bangladeshi clubs? That would be a no. Even the club officials barely know anything about it. 

The Business Standard attempted to delve into history and find out how eminent clubs in Bangladesh were named.

Abahani Ltd

One of the most prolific clubs in Bangladesh's sporting history, Abahani Ltd, has been renamed quite a few times. The club was founded in 1972 as Abahani Samaj Kallyan Samity and was later named Abahani Krira Chakra. 

In 1989, the club was renamed Abahani, and " Company Limited" was added to the name. The second part of the name has been changed multiple times while the first part remained constant. 

Lalmatia College's Professor Motiur Rahman gave Abahani Ltd its name. According to him, the word Abahani was derived from the Bengali word Abahan which means invitation, welcome message or welcome song.

A Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Boby, who has been involved with the club in different capacities over the years, said, "Abahani was Samaj Kallyan Samity at first. The club officials were racked with indecision regarding the name of the club. Then they went to Professor Motiur Rahman. He then told them to give a unique name and suggested that it should be a Bengali name. 

He suggested Abahan or Abahani".

Mohammedan

Mohammedan means followers of Mohammad or the religion of Islam. The club was founded in 1891. The name was borrowed and Dhaka Mohammedan was founded in 1936.

The club's former General Secretary Anwarul Haque Helal said, "I don't know much about the history. It all began in Kolkata. There's nothing here. They named a club Mohammedan there, so it came here that way. I've heard rumours, but I shouldn't comment without being completely sure".

"As far as I know, Mohun Bagan used to be a massively popular club at that time. During the British era, it was founded 'for the Muslim people.' But I don't know who took the initiative".

"It's a long history," said historian Afsan Chowdhury. "The name came from Kolkata Mohammedan. It was part of the Muslim League's politics. It's the oldest among clubs [in Bangladesh]."

Victoria Sporting Club

Victoria Sporting Club, founded in 1903, was named after Queen Victoria, according to Afsan Chowdhury. "The club was founded in the 1800s or early 1900s. It's a club of pre-independence days. It's a very old club, named after Queen Victoria."

Dhaka Wanderers Club

The name came from England's Wolverhampton Wanderers. "There was a team called Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League. Probably the name came from there. Victoria, Wanderers are clubs that were founded way before the Liberation War of 1971. Those clubs used to borrow names from foreign clubs," Chowdhury remarked. 

Azad Boys/Sporting Club

The club was established in 1949 and started its journey with the name Azad Boys. It was a dream club for a bunch of freedom-seeking youngsters. It came into being after the British Rule ended in 1947. 

"Azad Boys Club was founded after 1947. Azad means free. It was always a youngsters' club. Big players didn't play for the team. It was a team for up-and-coming players, and there was a bit of political influence. Mass people used to follow them a lot," reminisced Afsan Chowdhury. 

Wari Club Dhaka

Wari Club is one of the oldest clubs in Bangladesh. The club was established in 1898. The club was named after the area it is based in. After the extinction of the Wellington Club, a group of people who loved sports took the initiative of establishing the club. 

Bahadur Surendranath Roy played a big role in founding it.

Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) 

Several clubs in the past were named after companies. One such club is BJMC although it had a different name before. Up until 1971, the name was Pakistan IDC. It was called Bangladesh JIC between 1971 and 1978. Later it was changed to BJMC.

"BJMC was once a very strong outfit. In football, Mohammedan and Wanderers used to compete with each other at that time. After the Wanderers' strength waned, Victoria and BJMC burst into the scene. These were contract-based government-backed clubs," explained Chowdhury. 

Brothers Union

The area-based club, based in Gopibag, was founded in 1949. The name was a sign of brotherhood. Initially, it used to be involved in cultural programmes and initiatives. The original goal of the club was to promote sports but later it was elevated to a sporting club.

Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra 

Originally an organisation consisting of freedom fighters, the club was established after the Liberation War. "For freedom fighters, it used to be a place for get-togethers," said BCB director Boby. "Then the people involved decided to make it into a club. This club has produced many great players."

Dhaka City Club

The Dhaka-based club is more than half a century old. The club was founded as Mirpur Sports and Physical Cultural Centre (MSPCC). Then it was renamed Dhaka City Club. The name was given by the then General Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan Football League Committee and late politician Sadek Hossain Khoka.

"We started as MSPCC in 1972," said the club's co-founder and long-time president Hossain Mollah. "We wanted to have a football club and named it City Club. The name was given by Sadek Hossain Khoka bhai. It was around 1983 when he said, 'Now that you have a club, name it City Club'. That's how the name came."

Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra 

Post-1990, a hawker named Shahjahan used to sell soft drinks at Dhanmondi cricket and football grounds alone founded the club. Then it was aided by wealthy people and became a more prominent club over the years. Shahjahan named the club after Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club

The Dhanmondi-based club was initially known as Dhanmondi Club. In remembrance of Bangabandhu's son Lt. Sheikh Jamal, "a few years ago, it was renamed to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club," said Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Boby. "The original name is Dhanmondi Club. They used to do all of their work at the ground in Dhanmondi 8".

Area-based clubs

Named after a respective area, such clubs are an indispensable part of Bangladesh's club culture. Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society, Farashganj Sporting Club, Wari Football Club, Kalabagan Krira Chakra, Gulshan Youth Club, Arambagh Krira Sangha, Khelagar Samaj Kallyan Samity, Uttar Baridhara, Legends of Rupganj are some notable area-based clubs. 

Clubs named after companies 

Naming clubs after companies is an old phenomenon. Bangladesh Biman, Gazi Group Cricketers, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Shinepukur Cricket Club, Prime Doleshwar, Bashundhara Kings and Fortune Barishal are some examples. 

Translated by: AHM Nayeem