Rajshahi’s ‘Bat Doctor’ wants to take over the world

Hossain Muhammad Aftab, also known as Shahin, from Rajshahi, gained the moniker ‘Bat Doctor’ during his school days for his amazing ability to cure any problem with a cricket bat.

Growing up on the Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute campus, where his father, Md Abdul Khalek, worked as a registrar, his bat-fixing talents initially drew notice when he joined at the Al Rashid Cricket Academy.

“I was obsessed with cricket, especially bats.” I could feel a bat’s problems whenever I touched it. “I could tell if the shape of the bat was incorrect and how it could be improved,” Shahin said at his workshop in the city’s Bongram district.

If it hadn’t been for a tremendous storm in Rajshahi during his undergraduate years that altered the course of his life permanently, his passion with the cricket bat might have remained a pastime.

In its route of destruction, the storm uprooted a Moringa tree in Shahin’s garden. Following the storm, Shahin saw a portion of the tree laying on the ground and felt a chance.

He got it home, grabbed a knife, and started carving it into a toy bat while watching television.

“It felt like I’d discovered something the moment I finished making the toy bat.” After that, I felt deep down that I could one day manufacture a true bat.”

Shahin studied at the Technical Training Center (TTC) in Rajshahi’s wood working department, where he completed his SSC in 2005, and his knowledge allowed him create his first good cricket bats out of four pieces of silk cotton (Shimul) wood he obtained from a saw mill.

“After I learnt about seasoning at TTC, I seasoned the wood for a month and crafted four cricket bats for playing with tennis balls.” He brought the bats to a sports store in Rajshahi New Market and quickly sold them. “I sold those bats and began receiving orders.” I started providing on a regular basis. At the time, each bat cost me Tk 250.”

His reputation as a bat repairman increased over time. Local players admired his craftsmanship, and in 2006-7, he was given the chance to fix the bat of one international cricketer.

Azhar Mahmood, a Pakistan all-rounder, was in Rajshahi, and his bat required immediate attention. Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud summoned Shahin. Shahin repaired the bat in half an hour. Mahmood was shocked and offered money, which Shahin graciously rejected, “It was the first time that I fixed a foreign cricketer’s bat. It was a privilege for me.”

After receiving his MBA from Southern University in 2010, Shahin accepted a marketing position with a smartphone business, virtually preventing him from following his destiny.

However, the time away from his love made him even more motivated to pursue it, since job advertisements in Dhaka, Khulna, and Jessore let him realize the country’s untapped potential in the sports sector.

“The sports market in Bangladesh is worth Tk 3500 crore.” Cricket accounts for more than Tk 1000 crore, with bats alone accounting for more than Tk 300 crore. As we import the bats, all of this money goes to foreign nations. Why couldn’t these bats be made in Bangladesh, I wondered? Was bat production rocket science?”

Shahin went online for solutions to these problems and was astonished to realize that the process of producing bats was easier than he had thought.

“I even found the manufacturing equipment on the internet.” I presented them to an engineer, who constructed them for me for a fraction of the customary cost after few days.”

Shahin left his work in 2019 to pursue his passion full-time. In 2021, Shahin bought some English willow, a fundamental element in international-standard bats, on a trial basis from England and produced his first batch.

Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe became the first international player to buy his bat. Khushdil Shah of Pakistan and Andre Russell of the West Indies both purchased bats from him.

Shahin, renowned as the ‘Bat Doctor’ among national team cricketers, was now selling his bats to several of them.

Imrul Kayes, a long-time lover of Shahin’s universe, received one of those bats as a gift from Shahin.

“I met him when I was on the national team 10-12 years ago.” I went to him to get my bat repaired, and I was really pleased with his job. “I asked him why he doesn’t make bats himself a while back,” Imrul told the Daily Star.

In response, Shahin said that he was unable to import English Willow in order to begin manufacturing.

However, after viewing Shahin’s first batch, Imrul asked him about collaborating and launching a bat manufacturing firm, to which Shahin agreed.

MKS Sports’ adventure started with the addition of Bangladesh all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz.

The term ‘MKS’ is an abbreviation for the initials of the three partners.

On December 11, the new firm gained the desired clearance of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which allowed them to proudly put their emblem on bats in international cricket.

MKS Sports shipped experimental batches of ten bats to England, the United States, and Australia by 2023, and got excellent response.

MKS Sports intends to completely begin production by making 3000 bats when additional willow is imported by February of next year.

MKS Sports will have to compete with Indian and Pakistani bat makers with over 50 years of expertise in order to develop a niche in the market.

Nonetheless, Shahin is hopeful about first earning a name for himself in the local community and then conquering the globe.

“We will learn from our errors.” We will first address our local needs, then compete in the worldwide market by providing quality and cost-effective alternatives to established brands.”

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