Country's famed FIFA referee Tayeb Hasan Shamsuzzaman is donating all the money he received selling his famous jerseys of the 2013 SAFF football final in April 2020 and at least 300 families are to be benefited directly or indirectly that way.
Tayeb Hasan confirmed the matter to the Daily Observer on Sunday. While sharing about this proud moment of his life, this referee pleasingly said that he tried to put smile on faces utilising his ability.
n In April 2020, Tayeb Hasan decided to put his jerseys of the 2013 SAFF-final on auction to raise fund to aid people in Covid-19 situation.
n The jersey was sold at Taka 555,000 on auction
n FIFA president Giovanni Vincenzo Gianni Infantino commends referee Tayeb for his initiative in the situation
n Finally received the money on the 11th of April 2021
n Donates all the money to the effected people through different organisation, foundations
He was the first referee from South Asia to conduct the final match of SAFF football event in 2013. In that final, Afghanistan clinched the title of the prestigious event beating India by 2-0 margin.
Alike the other countries, Bangladesh too suffered a lot from the ongoing pandemic and there are many people left jobless, especially after the virus broke out throughout the country in March 2020. Tayeb Hasan saw the suffering of people and could not just sit idly. He felt the urge to stand beside these people, especially the people of his hometown Satkhira.
He said, "People were suffering due to the virus outbreak and the situation. The poor are the main sufferer of this condition and I just can't shake the picture of their suffering from my head. So, I decided to raise a fund by putting my jerseys of the SAFF-final 2013 on auction."
For such an initiative for the people in the condition, the governing body of earth's football FIFA and its president Giovanni Vincenzo Gianni Infantino officially commended highly of him and wished him good luck.
In a letter of commendation, the president wrote, "I came to know about your decision to put your jerseys of the 2013 SAFF-final on auction for the fight against the Covid-19, and I wanted to congratulate you for this beautiful gesture."
This modest man said that he was not a big athlete or a star yet he believed that there was at least something that he could do and be a little support to the people.
After he put the jersey on auction at the later part of April 2020, it was sold at a price of Taka 555,000 and Satkhira Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nasim Faqurue Khan brought the jersey for his collection.
Mr Tayeb received the auction money recently on the 11th of April 2021 and with the help of nine different national and local organisations and foundations, he donated the money among the affected people.
This FIFA referee has the record of conducting the highest international matches for a Bangladeshi referee. He was enlisted as a referee by Bangladesh FF in 1989. During his 18-year career, he conducted around 100 international matches. From 1999 until his retirement in 2016, he served as FIFA referee for about 17 years and was once among the top 25 Asian referees as well. He was a FIFA elite referee for ten consecutive years before retiring.
Some people just keep to themselves after their retirement while FIFA referee Tayeb Hasan Shamsuzzaman is proven to be different. He is trying to return the favour and love he received from people throughout his long career by engaging in different welfare activities.
