Questions raised over Tamim tragedy

[chinaman]

The friends and family members claimed that the tragic death of promising cricketer Tamim Bashir could have been avoided if the training staff of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s high performance unit had initially taken his problems seriously.

Bashir, who had been training with the unit since it began last month, died of cerebral malaria on Friday after a week-long battle with the fatal disease.

He, however, could have contracted the disease during a visit to Rangamati after the corporate cricket league where he took part for the semi-finalists GrameenPhone, said the family members.

A senior player of the unit told the newsmen that Bashir had been feeling unwell for a few days before he finally left the high performance unit on June 9. Before leaving the camp he informed about his illness to the concerned physiotherapists working with the unit but nobody cared. In spite of arranging necessary diagnosis of his illness, they forced him to continue with the practice.

Azmal Hossain, the local physiotherapist of the unit, admitted that Tamim had informed him about the illness but he was not in a position to prescribe any medicine for the young cricketer. “I told him to inform the matter to Justin Cordy, the Australian physiotherapist working with the unit, so that he can get proper treatment.,”

Justin, who has recently been assigned to the national team, however, refused that he was aware of the fact. “I last saw him on Tuesday (June 8) and he seemed okay. He contracted the virus before coming to the BKSP and the symptoms of cerebral malaria developed only after Tuesday,” Cordy told New Age over telephone.

“I understand the sentiment. But how can I help in the situation now,” asked a nervous Cordy.

Meanwhile, Richard McInnis, the manger of the high performance unit, informed that he last saw Tamim at the practice session on Wednesday and there was nothing wrong with him. “I did not get any complaint from him on that day. If there had been any problem we would have refereed him to the physicians of the BKSP. I was only informed of his illness on Friday when his elder brother rang me to tell that Tamim will not be available for practice because of a fever and I relieved him immediately,” McInnis told the reporters.

Tamim was admitted to the Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital on the following day and was under treatment there till Friday before being shifted to the Renal Hospital at Dhanmondi where he breathed his last.

Tamim was laid to eternal rest at the family graveyard besides his mother at Khalishpur in Khulna after two namaj-e-janazas held at the Khulna Stadium and at Khalishpur. Before taking the body to Khulna the first namaj-e-janaza was held at Babar Road, Mohammadpur, Dhaka.

NewAge >>

[chinaman]

Promising cricketer Tamim Bashir was laid to rest at the Goalkhali graveyard in Khalishpur, Khulna yesterday. The 19-year-old died of cerebral malaria in Dhaka on Friday. It is hard to accept the loss as just another death.

Now all the dreams of Bashir's family have been torn to pieces and all that remains is guessing what could have been if the danger signs were noticed earlier by the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) high performance training unit.

It is alleged that the young man's illness at BKSP in Savar was ignored by the coaching staff. Bashir, a left-arm spinner and a useful lower-order bat, last trained on June 9 with fever and complained about his physical wellbeing. Bashir's father Farid Ahmed believes that his son's death is the result of indifference shown by the high performance unit.

"My son repeatedly told them that he was not feeling well last Wednesday. But they ignored his pleas and told him to carry on training," cursed Farid while talking to the Daily Star Khulna correspondent after burying his son.

Although Bashir family sought answers, they got nothing in response from the cricket community as even his batch mates opted to remain silent. There were however a few persons who tried to console the distraught family.

"It's a tragic loss and the circumstances under which he died is really pathetic. I sympathise with the family and his teammates," said Australian coach of the high performance unit McInnes. McInnes also lamented that he was not aware of Bashir complaining to anybody about his illness during last week's training.

"I saw him batting, bowling and fielding on Wednesday (June 9). He looked normal to me. I only got to know about his sickness through his brother on Friday and I told him to stay away from any physical workouts before being recovered," McInnes said. "If we had known we could have referred him to a BKSP doctor. But by the time we realised Bashir was critically ill he was in hospital," said the Australian dismissing that any complaint had been made by the player.

But there are whisperings that Bashir complained that he was running a fever. Ajmal Ahmed, the local physio of the team, told the Daily Star Sport that Bashir did indeed complain.

"Yes, he came to me on Wednesday before the training and said that he was not feeling well. But I can not treat any patient until I am told to do it by the in-charge. I told him to go to Justin Cordy. Whether he talked with Cordy or not I do not know because he never got back to me," said Ajmal.

When The Daily Star approached Cordy, the Australian fitness trainer of the national team, denied that Bashir ever talked to him.

"I was not aware of his illness. I saw him well on Tuesday (June 8). He might have been infected before coming to the camp but the symptoms perhaps developed after Tuesday," Cordy told over telephone.

Shahidul Alam Ratan, who was in charge of spinners and wicket-keepers, also offered a similar explanation without elaborating. BCB president Ali Asghar, advisor Mahbub Anam and member secretary of grounds committee Rafiqul Islam finally went to see the deceased at the Renal Hospital on Friday to offer their condolences.

But Bashir's family needs more than sympathy at the moment. The demand a proper investigation into the circumstances of Bashir's death.

Daily Star >>

[billah]

I think a likely scenario is that Bashir may have hid the illness himself. This is common in Bangladesh. The players that are selected in the higher level do not want to lose their position due to illness or injury. I remember how Mohammed Sharif hid his injury for many months, causing extensive damage to himself in the end.

[Rubu]

i agree. it seems to me that bashir did not realise how sick he was. probably he thought it to be a regular fever and when asked to go to cordy, he gave up. it is unlikely that the unit will not take it seriously if it looks serious. if it is a disease that does not show the fatal signs until the last moment, there was no body who could do anything.

it is a sad news. a big lose after sunny. but i'd be glad reporters keep going after sunny's death instead of tamim. there is only fate whom we can blame.

[mahbubH]

BCB talked about professionalism all the time which hardly be seen in their activities though. Before any camp there should be a medical check up .... is there any medical check up before high performance camp??

[AsifTheManRahman]

i think the docs are to blame as well...i read it somewhere...this is very sad...

[billah]

Unfortunately, poor Tamim was not under the care of a doctor for very long. It was quick. I guess his condition was already bad when he was admitted to a hospital.

[Hasib]

While Cerabral Malaria is curable, it is a very rare event that someone survives it... so I don't think anyone is to be blamed for it...

[billah]

Tamim's family has just asked the Prime Minister's office to investigate possible negligence (DS)

[WI2debone]

Originally posted by sports_fan_bd
.... is there any medical check up before high performance camp??

So is there??? And during the camp as well????