Bangladesh bids goodbye to one of its greatest athletes

Bangladesh’s sports community is mourning the loss of one of its most illustrious athletes, Shamima Sattar Mimu. The former national athlete and recipient of the National Sports Award passed away on Friday night at her residence in Dhaka after cardiac arrest. She was 66.

Her son, Shahriar Sharif, said Mimu had long been suffering from old-age complications and heart disease. Honouring her last wish, her body was taken to Dinajpur, where she was laid in her final resting place beside her father’s grave after the Zuhr prayers on Saturday.

Born on 1 November, 1959, Mimu emerged in the 1970s as one of Bangladesh’s brightest track and field stars. She first made her mark in 1973, representing Dinajpur district at the National Athletics Competition, competing in sprints, relays, and long jump. Soon, she focused on jumping events, particularly high jump and long jump, where she would dominate for years.

Her breakthrough came in 1976 at the National Athletics meet in Jashore, winning gold in long jump. Over a career spanning from 1973 to 1992, she amassed 27 gold, 13 silver, and three bronze medals at the national level, setting three national records in high jump and long jump. Mimu’s supremacy in high jump was legendary: she overtook four-time champion Merina Khanum Merry in 1979 and remained the country’s top athlete in the event until 1984. Even on the day of her retirement on 22 December, 1992, she left the track as a champion, symbolising her glorious career.

On the international stage, Mimu represented Bangladesh at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, finishing seventh in long jump, a remarkable achievement in an era when resources for athletes were limited. She often recalled that Bangladeshi athletes once had to compete by jumping on sand, with foam mats introduced much later, a limitation she felt hindered international performance.

After retiring from active competition, Mimu devoted herself to nurturing future athletes. She earned a coaching diploma from Patiala, India, in 1983-84, and pursued advanced training in Germany and Indonesia. As a coach, she guided many athletes to national and international success. Under her mentorship, Rahima Khanum Jui won Bangladesh’s first medal at the Women’s Islamic Solidarity Games in Pakistan, while Bangladeshi athletes captured gold at the 1996 and 1997 Islamic Games.

She later served as Deputy Director (Training) at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan, shaping young athletes in Dinajpur and Savar. Mimu also played a vital role in the Bangladesh Athletics Federation, serving as an executive committee member and internationally recognised athletics jury member.

In recognition of her lifelong contributions, the government of Bangladesh awarded her the National Sports Award in 2000, the country’s highest honour for sporting excellence. Beyond her achievements as an athlete and coach, she was admired as an organiser and administrator, leaving an indelible mark on Bangladesh’s sports ecosystem.

Her loss has left her contemporaries and proteges deeply grief-stricken. Rajiya Sultana Anu, former national 400m champion, said, “There are no words. We were together from the beginning. We never had conflicts because our events were different. Hearing of her death hurt me deeply; even if my own sister had passed, I might not have felt such pain. When I learned she had been taken to Dinajpur, I felt an irreplaceable loss. We could have seen her for one last time.”

Firoja Khatun, a legendary sprinter and 10-time national champion, recalled their first encounter, saying, “In 1986, she came to my home with her husband and others to support me in competitions. That was when I first met her. From 1987 to 2026, she never forgot to call me on my birthday, 4 January. This year she called, but now she won’t be able to again.”

Mimu was also a cousin of the late former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, though in the sporting community, she was revered for her dedication as an athlete, mentor, and administrator.

Her passing has drawn heartfelt condolences from the olympic association, cricket board, football federation, athletics federation, archery federation, handball federation, as well as from athletes and sports organisations across the country.

From record-breaking jumps to coaching the next generation, Mimu’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of Bangladesh athletics. Though she is no longer with us, her contributions, mentorship, and the athletes she nurtured ensure that her memory will endure in the nation’s sporting history for generations.