ZCZC
BSP-13
OBIT-HELAL
Former national footballer Helal no more
DHAKA, May 30, 2020 (BSS)- Former national footballer Golam Rabbani Helal
died at a city hospital today.
“The former national midfielder breathed his last at Square Hospitals
around 12 noon at the age of 67,” said a Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF)
press release.
He had been on the life support at the hospital since Thursday after
suffering a brain hemorrhage at his Dhanmondi residence.
Helal left behind his wife and two daughters as well as a host of
relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.
Before the brain hemorrhage, Helal had been suffering from kidney disease.
He also underwent an open-heart surgery after sustaining a cardiac arrest in
April, 2017.
Apart from a short spell at Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC),
Helal played for the national team from 1979 to 1985.
At the club level, he had been a permanent player of Abahani Limited, a
leading sporting club of the country, where he played from 1975 to 1988.
He was one of the four footballers who landed in prison following chaos in
a Dhaka derby against arch-rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club in 1982.
After retiring from football, Helal became a director of Abahani and
served the club in different capacities. He also held the post of BFF
executive committee member for five years.
BFF President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin and its other office-bearers and
staff expressed deep shock and sorrow at the demise of Helal.
They prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound
sympathy to the bereaved family.
In a separate condolence message, Abahani Limited expressed profound shock
at the death of Helal and recalled his outstanding contributions to the
club’s success in soccer in the 1970s and 80s.
BSS/SG/SH/1723 HRS