In the narrow lanes of Uluberia in Howrah district, where Toto engines hum through daily struggles, a quiet dream once took shape. It belonged to Sheikh Sameer—an 18-year-old footballer who today patrols the flanks as a wing-half for North 24 Parganas FC in the ongoing Bengal Super League (BSL).
From a Toto driver’s faith to a professional league stage, Sheikh Sameer’s story is one of quiet perseverance, family sacrifice, and opportunity meeting preparation.
Sameer’s journey is inseparable from the unwavering belief of his father, Sheikh Jamiar, a Toto driver by profession. At a time when his mother, relatives, and neighbours worried about the uncertainty of football as a career, Jamiar stood alone in his conviction. He encouraged his son not just to play the game, but to dream of making it his profession. That belief became Sameer’s foundation.
At the age of 12, Sameer took his first structured steps into football at a local coaching camp in Uluberia, run by former Mohun Bagan footballer Subrata Roy. Recognising the boy’s potential, Roy guided him to the Dukhiram Majumder Memorial Coaching Centre—a historic nursery of Bengal football that has produced several internationals over the decades.
Those three years at Dukhiram proved transformational. Under the guidance of chief coach Ashish Pal Chowdhury, Sameer’s raw talent was shaped into discipline and technique. “Those years were very important for me,” Sameer recalls. “My basics were polished and strengthened under his guidance.”
Balancing academics as a student of Uluberia College, Sameer steadily climbed the competitive ladder. He featured in the CFL Fourth Division for Garden Reach AC and later represented Jadavpur Agragami in the Third Division. His performances earned him a place in Burnpur-SAIL, a First Division CFL side, last season.
Yet, progress came with its share of frustration. Limited match time in the CFL left Sameer yearning for more opportunities. “Senior players naturally get more matches in First Division,” he admits. “But a few more games would have helped my development.”
That opportunity arrived in the form of the Bengal Super League.
Grateful for the platform, Sameer credits the BSL for giving young footballers meaningful exposure—and particularly acknowledges the role of his franchise coach, Lal Kamal Bhowmick, former India international and ex-Mohun Bagan and United Sports stalwart.
“BSL is promoting players like us,” Sameer says. “If I get a call-up from a mainstream club in the future, it will be because of this league.”
Under Bhowmick’s guidance, Sameer has already featured in 10 matches, gaining the consistent game time he had long desired. The experience of training alongside his coach has been equally inspiring. “Lal Kamal sir still practices with us. His first touch and passing accuracy amaze everyone. I don’t want to lose his guidance,” Sameer adds.
Bhowmick, in turn, sees promise in the young wing-half. “Sameer’s biggest strength is his footballing brain,” the coach observes. “He is cerebral, confident in possession, and can dribble past defenders with ease. He can be
an asset for any team in the future.” And for the young footballer from Uluberia, this is only the beginning.
