He looked at the boy a little more closely. Behind the spectacles is a strange gleam in the eyes. Ongoing boy, intelligent — it means. Nah, Mohun Bagan officials did not send anyone to Bokasoka to seduce him, he praised the club officials in his heart. The boy came and gave a speech of about three to four minutes. Well prepared, it is understood.
No matter how quickly the boy tries to prove himself on the outside, his experienced eyes are right on the inside, the boy’s chest is throbbing on the inside. Sweat dripping down the back of his ears, soaking the white shirt.
‘Koire Panchu! Where did you go? Give the baby a glass of cold water! ‘
The boy was a little unprepared when he heard his shouting at the servant. That too did not escape his eyes. I was happy in my mind. He likes to do this one thing after leaving the game. Understanding the attitude of the human mind. Feeling we have ‘Run out of gas’ emotionally. Looks like someone strong. Everyone likes to think of themselves as strong. He – or why be the exception?
In the midst of so many things, the three words that came out of the boy’s mouth are not coming out of his head.
‘One Last Dance!’ Another time! And once again the opportunity to show a glimpse, the opportunity to know your own species. Again, against the party, the party of his birthplace – Bangladesh. And once the audience is fascinated by the glitter of his feet, that is the benefit of Bangladesh. Every person in Bangladesh is fighting hard to get rid of the coral grass of the Pakistani army, to get independence.
Some of the boys who fought hard have come to India. They are also fighting. However, their war is a little exception. They have formed an independent Bengali football team for the purpose of letting the rest of the world know the true condition of the country and for the outside world to be sympathetic towards the country. The job of that football team is to play matches in different parts of India, to raise funds for the people and freedom fighters of the war-torn country. Win-lose is not the key here.
On that occasion, a match is going to be organized against the famous club Mohun Bagan. In that match, all the concerned parties are trying hard to play him as the former legend of Mohun Bagan. Because it is easy to guess, if a one-time field-shaking footballer like him plays in this match, the splendor of the match will increase many-fold. Upachepara spectators will be in the average field. And the more visitors, the more money. And the more money comes, the richer the treasures of his motherland will be.
‘Sir, I have been asked to give you this official letter. We look forward to hearing from you. After reading the letter, you must call our grandfather and tell him about your decision. He is looking forward to hearing the “yes” in your mouth once… Sir, I say it again. You are the son of Kishoreganj in Upper Bengal, and once you take off your boots for your homeland and go down to the field, the people of your birthplace benefit a lot! One more dance, sir! ‘
Sanbit returned to the boy’s words. He listened to the boy again with his mind. Well, did the boy realize that his ‘One Last Dance’ — the three words that were swirling in his head quite well? Or why say so many times?
After the boy left, Chuni Goswami, a one-time field-shaking midfielder from Mohun Bagan, slowly turned to the telephone. You have decided what to do.
The average field is almost knee-deep in water. Thoi thoi is doing around. He would have been happy to see this water as a child. He used to go down with his friends barefoot to do dapadapi. Ah, what a joy he is!
Doubt and hesitation have come to the place of happiness today. Today, after almost 22 years, he is not happy to see this water. The cloud of doubt has frozen in the corner of his mind like the cloud frozen in the corner of the sky in the middle field. Will it play?
In terms of importance, this match is more expensive than the first match against Nadia XI. Mohun Bagan himself is playing against them! Mohun Bagan of that dream, who grew up listening to the fame of Chuni Goswami, Shailen Manna, Gostha Pal, Shivdas Bhaduri of Mohun Bagan. Today, they have had the good fortune to play with one of those childhood heroes – Chuni Goswami.
And the bad rain is coming now as if everything is floating away. If it is raining like this, if water is accumulating in the average field like this, how will his childhood dream come true? More importantly, if not the game, how to raise funds for the country?
Independent Bengal football team captain Zakaria Pintur was interrupted by a call from a field worker. ‘Grandpa, are you thinking about water? No worries. Don’t panic. The water of the Ganges. That is why there is so much water in the Ganges. It will come down after a while. ‘
After a while the water actually went down. Pintu breathed his last. They left for their tents. A big day is waiting in front of them.
Everyone in the national team was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to play the Merdeka Cup. The players of Mohun Bagan who play for India are also absent. Mohun Bagan has made a team without them. What’s in it? Chuni Goswami is there! One hundred alone. However, the news of the cancellation of Nadia’s approval has reached here by word of mouth. Naturally, the team is not able to play the match called ‘Mohun Bagan’. One of the best players in the history of the team will play as Gostha Pal – Gostha Pal XI.
This group was a strong defender in their time. He has spent his whole life in Mohun Bagan. The country’s legendary footballer magician Samad once said that although it is not difficult for him to beat everyone with the ball, this group also became ‘news’ for him to cut the flock!
The Daputa defender is now over seventy years old. In this rain, Dhoti Malkocha has come to watch the game. He has been brought as the chief guest. Another of his identities, like Chuni Goswami, is also a child of Bangladesh. He has also come to the country. In his presence, even if the ticket sales are a little higher!
Another highlight of the Group XI, Mohun Bagan’s arch-rival East Bengal legend Parimal Dey will play in the match. Many people will be born to see Chuni-Parimal in the same team.
Namal Group Pal XI is on the field under the captaincy of Chuni. Also in the starting XI were Balai Dey, Bhabani Roy, Kalyan Saha, Nimai Goswami, Kajal Dhali, Prabir Majumder, Suklyan Ghosh Dastidar, Parimal Dey, Priyalal Biswas and Pranab Ganguly.
Meanwhile, Swadhin Bangla XI entered the field with two changes from the XI of the previous match. SM Ainul Haque, Zakaria Pintu, Ali Imam, Fazle Sadain Khokon, Mohammad Kaikobad, Pratap Shankar Hazra, Shahjahan Alam, Enayetur Rahman Khan, Kazi Salauddin and Mohammad Taslim Uddin Sheikh in front of goalkeeper Aniruddha Chatterjee. Shahjahan and Salauddin played under pseudonyms as usual. Salauddin’s nickname is Turya, along with the team’s co-captain Pratap Shankar Hazra’s nickname. Meanwhile Shahjahan played under the name of Sagar.
The independent Bengali football team lost 4-2 on that day as a result of the glimpse of Chuni Goswami and the unfamiliarity of the local stars in the clay. Of course, the outcome of the match was not the main thing here!
At the end of the match, Zakaria Pintu, the captain of Swadhin Bangla football team, was busy talking to the representative of Akashvani and Swadhin Bangla Betar. Chuni Goswami is watching the boy like a younger brother from a distance. A little while ago he also came with an interview. Glimpses of Pintu’s eyes. Chunir looks bad.
Today is the day to make him feel good. He has made a name for himself by playing football all his life. Today, playing football, he contributed a little bit to the freedom struggle of his birthplace. Every spectator in the average field today has seen a glimpse of that great ruby, whether from the motivation to do something extra for the birthplace. As before, the control of the ball, the eye-catching dribbling, the charisma of the measured pass, cutting through two or three people even in small places থ Chuni has ensured that every spectator gets his money’s worth.
‘Grandpa, I have to go down the league again but! Must play in the Shield. Come back from leisure, we want to see your magic on the field again. ”
Chuni smiled in response to a curious message from a bystander. Nah, he won’t play League-Shield anymore. He will no longer be seen wearing Mohun Bagan’s jersey. He will remain steadfast in his decision to retire.
With just one goal, he took off his pair of dusty boots. He has met his goal. Today he is satisfied.
This match may or may not be his ‘One Last Dance’!
