Amir Jang Ghaznavi

Amir Jang Ghaznavi (আমীর জাং গজনবী; 1933 June 17 – 22 August 1995) was a former Bangladeshi footballer and sports organizer.

Early life
Amir Jang Ghaznavi was born on 17 June 1933, in Daulatkhan Thana of Bhola District, Bengal.

Early career
Ghaznavi enrolled in the junior commission of the East Pakistan Army while studying in ninth grade at Daulatkhandi High School. In 1949, he represented the Army team in the Ronald Shield in Dhaka. In 1952, he joined Wari Club in the Dhaka League, where he remained for the next two seasons. In 1954, Ghaznavi joined East Pakistan's strongest club, Dhaka Wanderers Club, and won the league title for consecutive years, while in 1955, he represented the club in the IFA Shield held in Calcutta, India. In 1956, he played six games for George Telegraph SC as a guest player in the latter stages of the Calcutta League, helping the club escape relegation. Prior to that, a fallout with Dhaka Wanderers officials saw many top players depart the club alongside him.

Dhaka Mohammedan
In 1956, Ghaznavi along with numerous teammates from Dhaka Wanderers, including Fazlur Ragman Arzoo, Ashraf Chowdhury and Kabir Ahmed joined mid-table team Dhaka Mohammedan. In his second season at the club, in 1957, Mohammedan won its first Dhaka League title. In the same year, Ghaznavi again participated in the Calcutta League, this time representing Kolkata Mohammedan.

In 1959, Ghaznavi played a pivotal role as Dhaka Mohammedan won the treble, remaining unbeaten champions in the Dhaka League, Ronald Shield and the Aga Khan Gold Cup. However, in 1960, during an Aga Khan Gold Cup match against Karachi Mughals Club, Ghaznavi was involved in a brawl after being subjected to rough challenges. This led to the abandonment of the game and the suspension of seven players from both teams by the East Pakistan Sports Association. Ghaznavi played fewer games thereafter before retiring in 1963.

International career
Ghaznavi first represented East Pakistan during the 1955 National Football Championship held in Bahawalpur.

In 1957, he was part of the runners-up East Pakistan White team that lost the National Championship final, held on home soil in Dacca, 2–1 to Punjab. The team, captained by Chinghla Mong Chowdhury Mari, was heavily applauded, although the region would win its first National Championship in 1960, which Ghaznavi missed due to suspension. Ghaznavi's final appearance for the team came during the 1959 edition in Hyderabad, during which the team once again finished as runners-up.

In 1958, Ghaznavi, although not selected in the initial squad for the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games, was contacted through a telegram and flown to Tokyo on a private plane to join the Pakistan national team. The team consisted a record six Bengali players including captain Nabi Chowdhury. Pakistan tied the first game 1–1 with South Vietnam and lost its final game 1–3 to the Republic of China.

Organizing career
In the early 60s, during which Victoria Sporting Club dominated Dhaka football, Ghaznavi took on the role of coach, team manager and organizer of Dhaka Mohammedan upon the request of the club's president at the time, Moinul Islam.

As the club's organizer, Ghaznavi brought in players from West Pakistan, notably central defender Turab Ali from Karachi Port Trust and Pakistan's national captain, Qayyum Changezi. He also had an eye for local talents. Assisted by former teammate Kabir Ahmed, Ghaznavi brought in a 16-year-old, Balai Dey from Khulna in 1962, and Victoria's winger Bashir Ahmed, helping the club clinch the title in 1963. The Black and Whites continued their dominance in the league, becoming champions in 1965, 1966, and 1969. In 1966, he acted as the team manager during Mohammedan's Mohammad Ali Bogra Shield triumph.

In the late 60s, he brought in Bengali forward Golam Sarwar Tipu and Hafizuddin Ahmed to Mohammedan. Both players helped the club win the 1968 Aga Khan Gold Cup and the 1969 league title as unbeaten champions and later represented the Pakistan national football team.

It would be wrong to say he (Ghaznavi) was only a coach, he was Mohammedan's heart

Following the Independence of Bangladesh, Ghaznavi served in the Bangladesh Football Federation from 1972 to 1979. He was part of the committee which selected the first Bangladesh national football team in 1973. In 1980, Ghaznavi brought Azad Sporting Club forward Abdus Salam Murshedy to Mohammedan, who would repay his faith by scoring a record 27 league goals in 1982, as Mohammedan won its fifth league title after the country's independence. In the same year, they would become the first Bangladeshi club to win a title on foreign soil, clinching the Ashish Jabbar football tournament in Durgapur, India.

Personal life
Ghaznavi died on 22 August 1995 while undergoing treatment for hepatitis for four years in Los Angeles, US. He is buried in Banani graveyard in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Honours
Dhaka Wanderers
 * Dhaka League: 1954, 1955
 * Pakistan Day Football Tournament: 1955

Dhaka Mohammedan
 * Dhaka League: 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963
 * Independence Day Cup: 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963
 * Aga Khan Gold Cup: 1959
 * Ronald Shield: 1959

East Pakistan White
 * National Football Championship runner-up: 1957

East Pakistan
 * National Football Championship runner-up: 1959

Individual
 * 1996 − National Sports Awards.