{{short description|Bangladeshi former footballer and field hockey player}} {{Infobox person | name = Mohammad Kowsar Ali | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|11|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Jessore, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) | height = 1.75m | module = {{Infobox football biography | embed = yes | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | position = Midfielder | years1 = 1975–1976 | clubs1 = Wari Club | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1977 | clubs2 = Mohammedan | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1978–1982 | clubs3 = Team BJMC | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1983–1984 | clubs4 = Wari Club | caps4 = | goals4 = | nationalyears1 = 1977–1978 | nationalteam1 = Bangladesh U19 | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | nationalyears2 = 1978–1980 | nationalteam2 = Bangladesh | nationalcaps2 = | nationalgoals2 = | ntupdate = | pcupdate = | manageryears1 = 1986–1987 | managerclubs1 = Wari Club }} | module2 = {{Infobox field hockey player | embed = yes | position = Forward | currentclub = | years1 = 1974–1980 | clubs1 = Wari Club | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1981 | clubs2 = Sonali Bank SRC | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1982 | clubs3 = Sadharan Bima | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1983–1985 | clubs4 = Wari Club | caps = | goals4 = | nationalyears1 = 1977 | nationalteam1 = Bangladesh | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1985 | managerclubs1 = Wari Club | manageryears2 = 1986–2017 | managerclubs2 = BKSP | manageryears3 = 1995 | managerclubs3 = Bangladesh Navy | manageryears4 = 1996–1997 | managerclubs4 = Dhaka Abahani | manageryears5 = 2003 | managerclubs5 = Mohammedan | manageryears6 = 2004–2005 | managerclubs6 = Azad SC | manageryears7 = 2005 | managerclubs7 = Myanmar U21 | manageryears8 = 2010 | managerclubs8 = Dhaka Abahani | manageryears9 = 2014 | managerclubs9 = Bangladesh U16 }} }} '''Kowsar Ali''' ({{langx|bn|কাওসার আলী}}; born 20 November 1958) is a former Bangladeshi national football and hockey player and coach.
==Early life== Kowsar Ali is a graduate from Jashore Zilla School.<ref name="auto1"/>
==Career== ===Football=== Ali began his football career with the Jessore District team in 1974 and continued to represent the team for twelve consecutive years, helping them win the National Football Championship in 1976. He debuted in the Dhaka First Division League with Wari Club in 1975.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/98806|language=bn|title=‘লাইফ সাপোর্টে’ শতবর্ষী ওয়ারী|first=Arafat|last=Jubayer|date=January 1, 1970|website=dhakapost.com|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231110302/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/98806|url-status=live}}</ref> He later joined Bangladesh's biggest club at the time, Mohammedan SC in 1977.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://kironsportsdesk.com/2021/08/16/5505/|title=কেউ কি বলবেন আর কোন গুনটা থাকলে জাতীয় ফুটবল-হকি দলে খেলা আর জাতীয় হকি দলের কোচ কাওসার আলীর পাওয়া হবে জাতীয় ক্রীড়া পুরস্কার|language=bn|date=16 August 2021|website=Kiron's Sport Desk|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231105608/https://kironsportsdesk.com/2021/08/16/5505/|url-status=live}}</ref>
After representing Bangladesh U19 in the 1977 and 1978 editions of the AFC Youth Championship, he was included in the senior national squad for the 1978 Asian Games, in Bangkok.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.utpalshuvro.com/special-article/news/417|language=bn|title=ঢাকার মাঠে সবচেয়ে বড় ফুটবল উৎসব|date=20 April 2021|first=Dulal|last=Mahmud|website=Utp al Shuvro|archive-date=22 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122143751/https://www.utpalshuvro.com/special-article/news/417|url-status=live}}</ref> In the following year, he was part of the team which finished group runners-up in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on home soil to qualify for the 1980 AFC Asian Cup in Kuwait. In the main tournament he made his only appearance as a substitute against Iran during a 7–0 defeat.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0|language=bn|title=নীল ভেসপা ও একজন কাওসার স্যার|date=November 21, 2017|website=Prothomalo|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231105916/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ali enjoyed his most successful year in 1979, as he helped Team BJMC lift the First Division title. During the season, his midfield partnership with Milon Karmakar Basu was heavily applauded as one of the main factors in the club's success. He eventually served as the football and hockey coach of Wari Club from 1985 to 1987 following his retirement.<ref name="auto1"/>
===Hockey=== Ali represented Dhaka University in the National Hockey Championship under its sports quota from 1977 to 1979. He previously began his hockey career alongside football in 1974 with the Jessore District team. In 1977 he played for the Bangladesh national field hockey team during three test matches against visiting Sri Lanka. Ali was also a runner-up in the National Championship with Jessore in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/kaler-khela/2014/12/26/167482|language=bn|title=জেগে উঠছে যশোর|date=December 31, 2014|website=www.kalerkantho.com|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231231110419/https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/kaler-khela/2014/12/26/167482|url-status=live}}</ref> In the domestic league, he represented three runner-up Wari Club teams in the First Division Hockey League.<ref name="auto1"/>
In 1986, he joined BKSP as a hockey coach, during which he also served as the coach of Dhaka District and Patuakhali District various times in the National Hockey Championship.<ref name="auto1"/> He won the National Championship a total of eighteen times as a coach and later served as the head coach of the entire BKSP hockey division.<ref name="auto"/>
In domestic hockey, he found success with both Mohammedan and Abahani Limited, winning the 2010 Dhaka Premier Division Hockey League with the latter. In 2005, he served as the head coach of the Myanmar national under-21 hockey team for two months.<ref name="auto1"/> Under his guidance, the Bangladesh youth national team qualified for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, and previously, his BKSP team lifted India's prestigious Nehru Hockey tournament title in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/hockey/74602/bangladesh-eying-good-show-in-youth-olympics|title=Bangladesh eying good show in Youth Olympics Hockey|date=10 August 2014|website=Dhaka Tribune|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231110724/https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/hockey/74602/bangladesh-eying-good-show-in-youth-olympics|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/103422/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%3F|language=bn|title=বিকেএসপি হকির হাল ধরবেন কে?|date=9 November 2017|website=DailyInqilabOnline|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231111144/https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/103422/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%3F|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ali was also a member of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation in 2013. He served as a member of the federation's development committee, a coaches course coordinator, and the president of the coaching committee. In addition to this, Ali has served as a member of the development and education committee and as part of the governance panel of the Asian Hockey Federation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shampratikdeshkal.com/sports/news/2404141510|language=bn|title=কাওসার আলী: ফুটবল থেকে পেয়েছেন আর হকিকে দিয়েছেন|date=April 8, 2014|website=shampratikdeshkal.com|archive-date=18 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065333/https://shampratikdeshkal.com/sports/news/2404141510/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%A5%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8|url-status=live}}</ref> On 19 November 2017, he concluded his 31-year-long career as the chief hockey coach of BKSP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newagebd.net/print/article/28791|title=Farewell to a true coaching legend|date=20 November 2017|website=www.newagebd.net|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231111330/https://www.newagebd.net/print/article/28791|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Honours== ===Football player=== '''Jessore District''' * Sher-e-Bangla Cup: 1976
'''Team BJMC''' *Dhaka First Division Football League: 1979
===Hockey coach=== '''Bangladesh Navy''' *Inter-Service Hockey Tournament: 1995
'''Mohammedan SC''' *Hockey Club Cup: 2003
'''Abahani Limited Dhaka''' *Dhaka Premier Division Hockey League : 2010
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Bangladesh squad 1980 AFC Asian Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Kowsar}} Category:Living people Category:1958 births Category:Bangladeshi men's footballers Category:Bangladesh men's youth international footballers Category:Bangladesh men's international footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players Category:Team BJMC players Category:People from Jessore District Category:Sportspeople from Khulna Division Category:1980 AFC Asian Cup players Category:Footballers at the 1978 Asian Games Category:Asian Games footballers for Bangladesh Category:Bangladeshi men's field hockey players Category:20th-century Bangladeshi sportsmen