Chinghla Mong Chowdhury Mari

Chinghla Mong Chowdhury Mari (; 29 September 1938 – 10 May 2012), commonly known as Mari Chowdhury, was a Bangladeshi football player who played as a left-winger. He is considered to be the best East Pakistani footballer of all time, and one of the few East Pakistanis to play for the Pakistan national team.

Despite the fact that most of his goals are unregistered, Mari is the unrecognised all-time top scorer in both Dhaka First Division League and Bangladesh top-tier football history with 234 goals.

Early life Mari was born in Chandraghona, Rangamati on 29 September 1938. He lost his father at a young age, and was raised by his mother. Mari's mother, Occho Moyee, and father, Pastor Thysau Chowdhury, were from the Bomang Royal Family but were expelled from the royal family for converting to Christianity. Mari was the youngest in a family of three brothers and one sister.

Mari's school life began at the Baptist Mission Boys School in Barishal. In 1951, Mari played for Firingi Bazar in the Chittagong League while still in tenth grade. The following year, he played league football for Chittagong Medical School. Mari completed his HSC from Jagannath University in 1956 and finished his studies from the same university in 1959. Mari standing fifth from left with Dhaka Wanderers Club in 1960.

In 1958, the famous East Pakistani attacking trio of Kabir Ahmed, Ashraf Chowdhury and Mari caught the eye of India while representing Dhaka Mohammedan in the IFA Shield. The same attacking line represented Pakistan in the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan. During the tournament, Mari suffered a knee injury. As a result, he walked away from the national team, however, he continued to play in the domestic league for another decade.

He went on to play for Azad Sporting Club, Dhaka Wanderers and EPIDC the latter being his final club in 1967. Aside from domestic football, Mari again played in the National Football Championship in 1959, with East Pakistan. He played for Dhaka Jagannath College in 1957–58 and won the Sir AF Rahman Shield and Governors Cup for them.

In 1959, Mari represented EPSF XI (East Pakistan) in two exhibition matches against the Pakistan national team. The first game held on 18 April, ended in a 0–7 defeat, while the second match on 14 May, saw EPSF XI suffer a 1–2 defeat.

Mari also appeared in the Aga Khan Gold Cup, notably as a guest player for Victoria SC and Chittagong Port Trust in 1958 and 1962, respectively.

Coach Following the Independence of Bangladesh, he served as the head coach of Team BJMC (formerly EPIDC), Bangladesh Government Press and Bangladesh Trading Corporation. In 1982, he guided BRTC Sports Club to promotion to the First Division as champions of the Dhaka Second Division League. He remained as the head coach of the club until 1986, and had a fairly successful stint coaching in the top-tier. 2 17 May 1958

Honours

Player Mohammedan SC Dhaka First Division League: 1957, 1961

Dhaka Wanderers Club Dhaka First Division League: 1960

EPIDC Dhaka First Division League: 1967

East Pakistan White National Championship runner-up: 1957

East Pakistan National Championship runner-up: 1959

Manager BRTC Sports Club Dhaka Second Division League: 1982

Awards and accolades 1981 − National Sports Awards 2005 − Grameenphone - Prothom Alo Sports Lifetime award of the Year

Personal life and legacy Mari, was also involved in other sports, in 1954, he won gold in high jump and silver in 100m sprint at the National Olympics for Pakistan. Mari was a regular member of the East Pakistan Volleyball team and also captained the side.

Mari received the National Sports Awards, in 1981.

In 2012, the National Sports Council changed the name of the Rangamati Stadium to Ching Lah Mong Chowdhury Murruy Rangamati Stadium, to commemorate the late footballer. In February 2020, a mural of the Mari was inaugurated in Rangamati.