Snooker
Breakers Pool & Snooker: Evolving a dream to promote billiards in Bangladesh
When Mahfuz Kabir returned to Bangladesh from the USA a decade ago, he brought back a dream along with him: to promote billiards in cricket-crazy Bangladesh.
But it wasn't a cakewalk for him. He waited more than five years for his dream to take the first step to fulfilment.
In 2018, he started the club, Breakers Pool & Snooker, to pursue this dream in Dhaka’s Uttara. Under this club, Mahfuz organized around 40 pool and snooker events in the last four years. And during this period, Breakers Pool & Snooker became a common destination for billiards lovers in Uttara.
He and his friends brought many people to BPS to play billiards. Many youths of Uttara now spend their time busy on the billiards board instead of wasting time chatting or roaming the streets.
“Billiards is not just a sport; it’s a form of entertainment too,” Mahfuz, the club's managing director, said in a recent interview with UNB. “Our only aim is to promote this beautiful sport in Bangladesh.”
Before returning to Bangladesh, Mahfuz played billiards in the USA for a long time. That experience has inspired him to promote the game in Bangladesh. He believes if the youth of Bangladesh get the taste of billiards, it will be among the most popular indoor sports in the country.
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“We received a great response from billiards lovers for our latest event,” Mahfuz said. “We will host more events in the future. I believe this sport has good prospects in Bangladesh.”
In the second week of this November, Breakers Pool & Snooker organized an event called Breakers 10-Ball Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament 2022. A total of 44 billiard players participated in this event, and the final match took place on the evening of November 20.
The team of Muhibul Hasna Rifat and Nuruzzaman Nayeem won the event, while the team of Shosi and Hasan ended as the runners-up.
“It was a great billiards event,” Muhibul said to UNB. “Right before the Covid-19 pandemic hit Bangladesh, I participated in the World Championship. But during Covid-19, it was not possible to play. After a long break, I played this event and won it.”
Muhibul added that if this event occurs regularly, Bangladesh will get many brilliant billiards players. He also hopes to participate in the World Championship if the national body of billiards takes the necessary steps.
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Salman Mahmud Jisan, a student of business studies, found his love for billiards when he visited the club in recent years. He participated in a billiards event for the first time and said he would be happy to participate again when an event comes up.
“It was an amazing experience to play a billiards event,” Salman said to UNB. “When I first came to this club, I watched others play. Then one time, I started playing too. I still can't play very well, but I'm improving.”
He also said that he is a regular visitor to the club now.
Not just Salman, a good number of visitors often come to Breakers Pool & Snooker every evening, and to whom billiards is a lovely game only for a few years or maybe months.
“I often see new faces here,” said Mahfuz, the managing director. “I believe more people will get to know the beauty of this game in the coming days.”
Participants of Breakers 10-Ball Scotch Doubles Pool Tournament 2022:
Pantho, Mahadi, Darras, Mahfuz, Tutul, Plabon, Doc, Tanvir, Anik, Tahfim, Firoze, Sani, Hasan, Shoshi, Adnan, Pavel, Sadik, Jishan, Rossy, Fahim, Riyasat, Nahiyan, Nafi, Tasniya, F Rabbi, Jishan, Sujon, Bishal, Nayeem, Rifat, Rashed Kabir, Shaon, Istiaque, Sabab, Rashed Khan, Rafi, Tanvir A T, Bishal, Noyon, Sadi, Zunayed, Anzum, Foysal and Kawsar
2 years ago
36th National Snooker: Al Amin emerges champion beating Asif Imran
Mohammad Al Amin of Q and U Billiard Club emerged champion in 36th National Snooker Championship'2022 beating Asif Imran of Rack and Break Billiard Center by 6-2 frame in the final played at the Rubel Aziz Billiard Room of Banani Club Limited in the capital on Friday.
Later, the prize-giving ceremony of the tournament was held at the Banani Club's Banquet Hall Friday night, followed by a gala musical show. The tournament was sponsored by City Bank Ltd and American Express and organized by Banani Club Limited under supervision of the Bangladesh Billiards and Snooker Federation (BBSF).
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Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, MP., chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Youth and Sports was the chief guest at the Friday's closing function and handed over prizes to the champions and runners-up team..
President of the tournament's co-organizer Banani Club Limited Rubel Aziz and President of the Bangladesh Billiards and Snooker Federation (BBSF) Muhammad Abdullah were also present om the occasion.
Champion Al Amin received prize money of Tk 5,00,000.00 (five lac) while runners-up Asif Imran got Tk 2,50,000 (two lac fifty thousand) as prize money. Tournament's highest breaker Ziaur Rahman Azad of Dhaka Club also awarded with Tk 1,00,000.00 (one lac).
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Some 143 players from 21 teams across the country took part in the event.
Participating clubs were Dhaka Club Limited, Gulshan Club Limited, Uttara Club Limited, Banani Club Limited, Dhaka’s California Pool and Snooker Club, Bangladesh Billiard Center Limited, CTG Club Limited, Narayanganj Club Limited, Dhaka’s Breakers Pool and Snooker, Dhaka’s Q and U Billiard, Dhaka’s Rack and Break Billiard Center, Cumilla Club, Comilla City Club, Sylhet IT and Billiard Zone, Bangladesh Cue Sports, catholic club ctg, Golden break billiard, house of billiard, Sportex, Time pass 2.
2 years ago
36th National Snooker Championship on Thursday
The 36th edition of the National Snooker Championship’2022, jointly organized by Banani Club Limited and Bangladesh Billiards and Snooker Federation (BBSF) will be held on Thursday at the Banani Club Limited in the capital.
President of Banani Club Limited Rubel Aziz will inaugurate the meet at 12 pm as the chief guest.
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BBSF Vice President Aziz Al Masud, BBSF general secretary Syed Mahboob, Tournament Director Dr. Zahirul Islam will present at the inaugural ceremony of the meet, sponsored by City Bank Ltd and American Express .
2 years ago
Asjad Iqbal clinches Sheikh Kamal First SAARC Snooker title
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB)- Asjad Iqbal of Pakistan clinched the Sheikh Kamal Memorial 1st SAARC Snooker Championship’ 2019 title beating his compatriot Muhammad Bilal in a close final at the Dhaka Club snooker room on Friday.
5 years ago