bdnews24 publishing limited launches book on ‘most relevant’ Mashrafe

The highs and lows of Bangladesh cricket team, the plaudits, the criticism – the journey of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza from the talismanic skipper of the national ODI team to a lawmaker has been chronicled in a new book launched by bdnews24 publishing limited.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Feb 2019, 05:05 PM
Updated : 22 Feb 2019, 05:05 PM

The book titled ‘Kathae-Addae Mashrafe’ was unwrapped at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka on Friday. It features a collection of Mashrafe’s interviews with bdnews24.com’s Chief Cricket Correspondent Ariful Islam Roney.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby, a director of Bangladesh Cricket Board, attended the launching event along with bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi.

“Mashrafe is the most relevant figure today,” Mahbubey Alam said after unveiling of the book’s cover.

Aside from covering some of Mashrafe’s most memorable performances with the ball and as captain, Roney has also had the unique opportunity to interact with Mashrafe on a personal level. 

Twenty-two of Mashrafe’s interviews with Roney, which had been published on bdnews24.com, are presented in the book without any changes. The author provides a background for each interview which highlights a different facet of Mashrafe in his own words.

The book entails a ‘captivating’ journey with Mashrafe, said Roney.

Attorney General Alam believes that the book will feed fans and readers’ curiosity about Mashrafe and take Bangladesh cricket further ahead.

“The whole country waits in anticipation of Mashrafe’s decisions, to see whether the Bangladesh cricket team will win or lose. The entire nation looks to him.”

BCB’s Bobby expressed his hope that the book will be able to fulfil the “void in Bangladesh’s cricket literature”.

“People will be enthusiastic about getting this book to get to know Mashrafe as a cricketer and as a leader of the masses,” he added.

The book will give its readers a glimpse into Mashrafe’s life as a cricketer, leader, father and human being, said Toufique Khalidi.

“Mashrafe is an extraordinary role model for the youth. We will also know about Mashrafe’s views on society and state,” the bdnews24.com editor-in-chief said.

Speaking about his new book, Roney told bdnews24.com: “This book is a compilation of interviews spanning four years and sheds light on Mashrafe’s journey in his own words.”

“Most of the interviews were situational, sometimes in the context of a series, a tournament or some other issue, conducted in different places. Some were done at the stadium gym, some in the dressing room, others in his residence and in Mirpur 12 where he meets his friends.”

Roney, who has picked journalism as his profession after studying peace and war at Dhaka University, said his works as a “happy” writer of cricket stem from his unfulfilled dream of becoming a top-class cricketer.   

He spent a season with a first-division cricket club in Dhaka but did not get a chance to play.