Dhaka: Bangladesh cricket team bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman and 12th SA Games gold medalist swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila have been named Kool BSPA player of the year for 2015 and 2016 respectively. 

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over prizes to the winners as the chief guest at a function organised by Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) in a city hotel on Monday.

Bangladesh Football Federation President (BFF) president Kazi M Salahuddin was also present at the function.  

The Fizz leapfrogged cricketer Mahmudullah Riyad and Soumya Sarkar to be adjudged player of the year for 2015 while Shila eliminated the dashing Tigers’ opener Tamim Iqbal and hockey player Ashraful Islam to earn honour for the year of 2016.  

The other award recipients for the year 2015 : Mahmudullah (cricket), Fahad Rahman (chess), Tamimul Islam (archery), Sarwar Zaman Nipu (football, emerging sportsman) Yousuf Ali (hockey organiser), Syed Golam Jilani (football, coach), Aminul Haq Moni, (cricket organiser, special honorary award) and Max Group (sponsor). 

The other recipients for the year 2016 are: Tamim Iqbal (cricket), Mabia Akther Simanta (weightlifting), Ashraful Islam (hockey), Shakil Ahmed (shooting), Saeed Al Jaber (volleyball), Mehedi Hasan Miraz (emerging cricketer), Krishna Rani Sarker (emerging sportswomen), Golam Rabbani Choton (football coach) and Bangladesh Navy (organisation).