Arafat Rahman
{{Short description|Bangladeshi cricket executive (1969 – 2015)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Arafat Rahman
| native_name = আরাফাত রহমান
| image = Arafat Rahman Coco.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1969|08|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Noakhali, Chittagong Division, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh)
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|01|24|1969|12|08|df=yes}}
| death_place = Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| resting_place = Banani Graveyard, Dhaka
| party =
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| spouse = Sharmila Rahman
| children = 2
| father = Ziaur Rahman
| mother = Khaleda Zia
| relatives = Majumder–Zia family
| relations = Tarique Rahman (brother)
Taiyaba Majumder (maternal grandmother)
Sayeed Iskander (maternal uncle)
Khurshid Jahan (maternal aunt)
| nickname = Koko
}}
Arafat Rahman, nicknamed "Koko"{{cite news |title=Khaleda Zia's self-exiled son dies in Malaysia |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/khaleda-zia-s-self-exiled-younger-son-dies-in-malaysia-115012400458_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127020735/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/khaleda-zia-s-self-exiled-younger-son-dies-in-malaysia-115012400458_1.html |archive-date=27 January 2015 |access-date=January 24, 2015 |work=Business Standard}} (12 August 1969 – 24 January 2015) was a Bangladeshi cricket organizer and former chairman of the Development Committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-57361 |title=ICL and our cricket |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713140702/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-57361 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}} He was the younger son of former president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman{{Cite book |title=Selections from Regional Press |publisher=Institute of Regional Studies |year=2008 |location=South Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1-QuAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Arafat+Rahman+Koko%22}} and former prime minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia.{{cite book |last=Ali |first=S. Mahmud |year=2010 |title=Understanding Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FD2KzBG1ejwC&pg=PA255 |access-date=May 29, 2012 |publisher=Columbia University Press |page=255 |isbn=978-0-231-70143-3}} His elder brother is Tarique Rahman, the current acting chairperson of the BNP.{{Cite news|title=Bangladesh holding 'sham' election: Exiled opposition leader Tarique Rahman|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/4/bangladesh-holding-sham-election-exiled-opposition-leader-tarique-rahman|date=2024-01-04|work=Al Jazeera|language=en|access-date=13 July 2024|archive-date=5 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905025227/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/4/bangladesh-holding-sham-election-exiled-opposition-leader-tarique-rahman|url-status=live}}
Arafat Rahman is widely remembered for his contributions to cricket in Bangladesh as the chairman of the Development Committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board from 2002 to 2005. He played a significant role in designing a development programme for the Bangladesh Cricket Board, initiating the High-Performance Squad that worked to train young cricketers and sought to ensure a pipeline of talent for the national cricket team over the following decade.{{Cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/05/14/d40514040336.htm |title=High performance BCB |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713132244/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/05/14/d40514040336.htm |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}}
Rahman came to face significant legal trouble in his later life, as he was exiled by the caretaker government of 2007–08 and faced a six year jail sentence for an alleged money laundering case. Rahman would later flee Bangladesh to avoid further imprisonment until his death.
On 24 January 2015, Rahman died due to cardiac arrest while at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Early life and family
Arafat Rahman was born on 12 August 1969 in East Pakistan.{{cite news |script-title=bn:আরাফাত রহমান কোকোর অষ্টম মৃত্যুবার্ষিকী আজ |url=https://www.ntvbd.com/bangladesh/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C-1176545 |work=NTV |access-date=16 August 2024 |language=bn |date=24 January 2023}} He belonged to a notable Bengali Muslim political family of Mandals hailing from Bagbari in Gabtali, Bogra District. His father, Ziaur Rahman, was the 7th president of Bangladesh, and his mother, Begum Khaleda Zia, was the 10th Prime Minister and first female prime minister of Bangladesh. His paternal grandmother, Jahanara Khatun, was the wife of Mansur Rahman, a chemist who specialised in paper and ink chemistry and worked for a government department at the Writers' Building of Calcutta.{{cite news |author=Md.Mahbur Rahman |date=5 August 2006 |title=From Bogra: A Successful Seat of knowledge |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/starinsight/2006/08/01/guru.htm |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=29 December 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195151/http://archive.thedailystar.net/starinsight/2006/08/01/guru.htm |url-status=dead}}
He started his education at BAF Shaheen School.{{cite web |url=https://www.justnewsbd.com/opinion/news/192 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105074842/https://www.justnewsbd.com/opinion/news/192 |archive-date=5 January 2024 |script-title=bn:হৃদয়ে কোকো ভাই}} After the death of his father Ziaur Rahman, his mother Begum Khaleda Zia joined politics and took the lead of the nationalist party. After being sent by his mother to his uncle in the United Kingdom, Arafat completed his O level there. From there, he went to America and completed his A level. He then pursued higher education in civil aviation from Australia.{{cite news |url=https://www.justnewsbd.com/opinion/news/192 |script-title=bn:হৃদয়ে কোকো ভাই |date=2 December 2017 |language=bn}}
Rahman was married to Sharmila Rahman Sithi, and had two children with her: Zahia and Zaifa.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/khaleda-spends-time-granddaughters-eid-1785430 |title=Khaleda spends time with granddaughters on Eid |date=15 August 2019 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |access-date=27 August 2019}} His elder brother is Tarique Rahman, who served as the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.{{Cite news|title=Tarique Rahman acting chairman: BNP leader |language=en |work=The Daily Star|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/tarique-rahman-acting-chairman-says-bnp-leader-nazrul-islam-khan-1531762|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619164220/https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/tarique-rahman-acting-chairman-says-bnp-leader-nazrul-islam-khan-1531762 |archive-date=19 June 2023 }}
Career
Arafat Rahman was enthusiastic about sports, especially cricket. During his studies in Australia, he built a network with local Australian cricket coaching staff in the early 1990s, which he utilized to shape Bangladesh's cricket as the chairman of the Development Committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) from 2002 to 2005.{{Cite news |url=https://www.daily-sun.com/post/22232/Arafat-Rahman-Koko:-At-a-Glance |title=Arafat Rahman Koko: At a Glance |work=Daily Sun |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713195606/https://www.daily-sun.com/post/22232/Arafat-Rahman-Koko:-At-a-Glance |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}}
Rahman was one of the pioneers of developing a High-Performance unit at BCB to develop emerging cricketers in an academy setting.{{Cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/08/06/d70806040134.htm |title=Development running dry? |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713221419/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/08/06/d70806040134.htm |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}} This initiative helped develop Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Shahriar Nafees, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and many others who later became an influential part of the Bangladeshi cricket team.{{Cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/richard-mcinnes-to-quit-as-head-of-bangladesh-academy-737467 |title=McInnes to quit as head of Bangladesh academy |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713202317/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/richard-mcinnes-to-quit-as-head-of-bangladesh-academy-737467 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}} He brought in Richard McInnes to lead the initiative. This initiative was eventually converted into the National Cricket Academy.
He is particularly credited for renovating Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, which was originally built as a football and athletics stadium, and converting the stadium into the home of Bangladesh cricket. Despite criticism and allegations of corruption, Arafat Rahman led the renovation process of the stadium.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-2598 |title=Koko & commission |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713204622/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-2598 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}} From 2004 to 2006, about three feet of soil was excavated to remove all the red clay. Water pipes were fit in to develop a drainage facility, and afterwards the ground was filled up with rock chips, sand, and grass. The gallery was replaced by new chairs and shades as well.{{Cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/bangladesh/content/ground/236761.html |title=Shere Bangla National Stadium |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102115424/http://www.espncricinfo.com/bangladesh/content/ground/236761.html |archive-date=January 2, 2013 |url-status=live}}
In his short stint with BCB, Arafat Rahman contributed to the development of six international cricket venues across the country,{{Cite news |url=https://www.daily-sun.com/post/22232/Arafat-Rahman-Koko:-At-a-Glance |title=Arafat Rahman Koko: At a Glance |work=Daily Sun |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713195606/https://www.daily-sun.com/post/22232/Arafat-Rahman-Koko:-At-a-Glance |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |url-status=live}} in Dhaka, Chattagram,{{Cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/56658.html |title=Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102125340/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/56658.html |archive-date=January 2, 2013 |url-status=live}} Narayanganj, Sylhet, Khulna and Bogra, all of whom received international status from 2006 to 2007.{{Cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/56658.html |title=Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628230422/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/56691.html |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |url-status=live}}
Arafat Rahman also invited prominent Bangladeshi businessmen such as Khondokar Jamil Uddin, Aziz Al Kaiser, Reaz Uddin Al-Mamoon, and others to invest in cricket clubs. This was to pump in corporate financial support for the emerging cricketers. Remembering his conversation with Arafat Rahman, Khondokar Jamil Uddin said,
{{blockquote|I was a simple businessman. It is Arafat Rahman Koko who brought me into the cricket arena. He said, 'Jamil vai, being a businessman you have a responsibility to contribute to the nation.'}}
Rahman was also the chairman of Old DOHS Sports Club and helped in the development of a new sports club, City Club.
Exile and death
File:Arafat Rahman's grave at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka 27 (cropped).jpg
After the military-backed takeover of power by a technocrat government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed, Arafat Rahman's business office and house were raided by joint forces on multiple occasions.
In April 2007, he was picked up from his home to pressure his mother and the former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia to leave Bangladesh as a part of the "Minus Two Formula".{{Cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/04/16/d7041601118.htm |title=Arafat 'picked up' in late-night raid |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 13, 2021}} He was later released and was dropped at home after his mother was said to have agreed to leave the country with her sons.{{Cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2007/4/17/ex-bangladesh-pm-agrees-to-exile |title=Ex-Bangladesh PM agrees to exile |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=July 13, 2021}} In June, however, she decided instead to stay in Bangladesh and face the consequences. Cases soon started being filed against Arafat and his mother. By August 2007, all of their bank accounts were frozen and by early September, Arafat and his mother Begum Khaleda Zia were sued and arrested.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-2487 |title=Khaleda, Koko sued |work=The Daily Star |access-date=July 13, 2021}}
In November 2007, Rahman was jailed on charges of money laundering. His lawyers claimed these transactions were fabricated, and that the funds in question were to have been transferred by a Singaporean businessman with no obvious ties to Rahman.{{Cite news |title=Koko not involved in money laundering |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-270784 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210713225022/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-270784 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |access-date=July 10, 2021 |work=The Daily Star}}
On 17 July 2008, after receiving permission from the Bangladesh Supreme Court, Rahman went to Thailand and later to Malaysia for medical treatment.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/former-bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zias-son-dies/article6818749.ece |title=Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia's son dies |work=The Hindu |access-date=January 23, 2015}} He was still to be jailed for six years, and a Dhaka court issued a warrant for his arrest in November 2010.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/01/24/khaleda-zia-s-son-arafat-rahman-coco-dies |title=Khaleda Zia's son Arafat Rahman Coco dies |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=July 13, 2021}} Following this, he moved to Malaysia from Thailand and never returned to Bangladesh.
He died of cardiac arrest on 24 January 2015, at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.{{Cite news |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/jan/24/khaledas-son-koko-dies |title=Khaleda's younger son Koko dies |last=Mohammad Al-Masum Molla |date=January 24, 2015 |work=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=January 24, 2015}} He was buried at Banani Graveyard in Bangladesh on 27 January 2015, after a grand funeral which was attended by thousands of mourners in Dhaka.{{Cite news |url=https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-dhaka-bangladesh-27th-jan-2015-a-large-crowd-of-thousands-including-78187668.html |title=A large crowd of thousands gather to offer funeral prayers for Arafat Rahman Koko |work=ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Live News |access-date=July 13, 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/koko-buried-at-banani-graveyard-61932 |title=Koko buried at Banani graveyard |work=The Daily Star |date=27 January 2015}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ziaur Rahman}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Arafat}}
Category:Bangladeshi businesspeople
Category:Children of presidents of Bangladesh
Category:Children of prime ministers of Bangladesh
Category:Burials at Banani Graveyard
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:People from Bogra District