Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury
{{short description|Bangladeshi footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nazir Ahmed
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Sunamganj, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh)
| height =
| position = Center-Back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| image =
| youthyears1 = 1964
| youthclubs1 = Sunamganj Brothers
| years1 = 1966
| clubs1 = East Pakistan Railway
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1967
| clubs2 = Central Stationary
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1968
| clubs3 = EPG Press
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1969
| clubs4 = Wari Club
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 1970–1977
| clubs5 = Team BJMC
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| years6 = 1977–1978
| clubs6 = WAPDA SC
| caps6 =
| goals6 =
| years7 = 1979
| clubs7 = Shadharan Bima
| caps7 =
| goals7 =
| nationalyears1 = 1970
| nationalteam1 = East Pakistan
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = 1973–1975
| nationalteam2 = Bangladesh
| nationalcaps2 =
| nationalgoals2 =
}}
Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury ({{langx|bn|নাজির আহমেদ চৌধুরী}}), better known as Nazir Junior or Choto Nazir, is a retired Bangladeshi footballer who played as a center-back. He is a member of the first Bangladesh national football team.
Early life
Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury was born in Sunamganj, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/05/01/216704|title=উজ্জ্বল মুখ|date=May 6, 2015|website=www.kalerkantho.com|archive-date=28 November 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231128075243/https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/05/01/216704|url-status=live}} Alongside football he was also involved with athletics, he was the divisional champion in 400 meters race. In 1964, Nazir started playing in Sunamganj Borthers alongside his school team. In the same year, the Sunamganj Government School won the title in inter-departmental games, and Nazir was called up to the Sunamganj Division Team, however, he played for them the following year as he was still a student at the time. In 1965, Nazir won the Sunamganj First Division, earning him a chance to join East Pakistan Railway in the Dhaka First Division League.{{cite web|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/04/24/214040|title=আমাদের সঙ্গে গেলে বেঁচে যেতেন শেখ কামাল|date=April 2015|archive-date=28 November 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231128075450/https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/04/24/214040|url-status=live|website=www.kalerkantho.com}}
Club career
In Nazir's debut season in the First Division, East Pakistan Railway were relegated to the Second Division. The following season, he joined Central Stationary in the First Division, however, his team were once again relegated. In 1968, Nazir remained in the top-tier with EPG Press (now BG Press). In 1970, Nazir found a long-term address, in EPIDC (now Team BJMC). With the Jutemen, Nazir became league champions in both 1970 and 1973, the latter being the first complete domestic football season after the Independence of Bangladesh. Following BJMC's title triumph in 1973, Nazir was named the Sports Writers Association's Best Footballer. Although Sheikh Kamal attempted to bring him to Abahani Krira Chakra, Nazir remained loyal to BJMC, and eventually retired in 1979, while playing for Sadharan Bima CSC.
International career
In 1970, Nazir won the King Mahendra Cup tournament in Nepal with East Pakistan. In the same year, he was called up to the trials for the Pakistan national team, nonetheless, he eventually failed to make the final squad. On 13 May 1972, Nazir played in an exhibition match for Dhaka XI against Indian giants Mohun Bagan, who were the first foreign team to play in Bangladesh following its independence. Nazir played an integral role in defense alongside captain Zakaria Pintoo, as they defeated the visitors 1–0.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A7%AD-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8|title=৭ কোটি মানুষের জন্য ভালোবাসা নিয়ে ঢাকায় এসেছিল মোহনবাগান|first=Masud|last=Alam|website=Prothomalo|archive-date=12 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112102243/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A7%AD-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8|url-status=live}} In the same year, he participated in the Bordoloi Trophy with the team. The following year, he was called up to the first Bangladesh national football team by head coach Sheikh Shaheb Ali.{{Cite web|url=https://kironsportsdesk.com/?p=4903|title=১৯৭৩ সালে যাদের হাত ধরে বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় ফুটবল দলের পথ চলা শুরু হয়েছিলো|website=Kiron's Sports Desk|archive-date=12 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112102711/https://kironsportsdesk.com/2018/11/18/%e0%a7%ad%e0%a7%a9-%e0%a6%b8%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%b2%e0%a7%87-%e0%a6%af%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%a6%e0%a7%87%e0%a6%b0-%e0%a6%b9%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%a4-%e0%a6%a7%e0%a6%b0%e0%a7%87-%e0%a6%9c%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%a4/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/211015|title=ফুটবলের ৫০ বছর : প্রথম দলের ১৭ জনের কে কোথায়?|first=Arafat|last=Zubaear|website=dhakapost.com|access-date=26 July 2023|archive-date=26 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726164059/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/211015|url-status=live}} With the national team, he participated in the 1973 and 1975 editions of Malaysia's Medeka Cup. On 27 July 1973, he made his international debut in the Merdeka Cup against Thailand, in what was Bangladesh's maiden international match. In the latter stages of 1973, he sustained a serious injury while playing for Dhaka XI against the visiting Dinamo Minsk from the Soviet Union.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/83681/dynamo-moscow%E2%80%99s-visit-to-jessore|title=Dynamo Moscow’s visit to Jessore|first=Shishir|last=Hoque|website=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=1 September 2023|archive-date=1 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901113638/https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/83681/dynamo-moscow%E2%80%99s-visit-to-jessore|url-status=live}}
Nickname
Nazir earned the nickname Choto Nazir, which translates to "Small Nazir" in Bengali, due to his much senior former teammate and Team BJMC striker Nazir Ahmed Senior or Boro Nazir, the latter translates to "Big Nazir" in Bengali.
Honours
=Awards and accolades=
- 1973 − Sports Writers Association's Best Footballer Award
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=Alam |first=Masud |script-title=bn:ফুটবলের গল্প ফুটবলারদের গল্প ({{Translation|The story of football the story of footballers}}) |publisher=Bishhoshahitto Bhobon |year=2017 |language=bn |isbn=9789849134688}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed Chowdhury, Nazir}}
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Bangladeshi men's footballers
Category:Bangladesh men's international footballers
Category:People from Sunamganj District