Tuesday | 14 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Tuesday | 14 January 2025 | Epaper

Zakaria Pintoo passes away

Published : Tuesday, 19 November, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 353
Sports Reporter
Swadhin Bangla Football Team captain Zakaria Pintoo died at the age of 81 on Monday at 11:50 am. He was rushed to the Ibn Sina hospital in Dhaka due to complications from heart disease the previous day. 

His namaz-e-Janaza will be held today (Tuesday) in the Mohammedan Sporting Club premises at 10 am.He will be buried at Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard on Tuesday after return of one his daughters now living in London.

He left behind one son, three daughters and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.

Pintoo was born in Naogaon on January 1 in 1943 and represented both thePakistan national football team and the East Pakistan football team, captaining the latter on numerous occasions.

The interim government Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has expressed his deep condolences at Pintoo's demise. 

In a statement, he said, "The Swadhin Bangla Football Team's legendary captain Zakaria Pintoo travelled across India in 1971 to raise money and vital support for the wartime government. When he was not playing on the field, he encouraged our fighters. He emerged as one of the faces of our struggle for independence." 

The board of directors of Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited in a condolence message expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Pintoo.

The club kept its flag half-mast showing respect to him.

Earlier, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President TabithAwal, its senior vice-president, vice presidents, general secretary, executive members, officials and employees expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Pintoo and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

In another message, Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) expressed deep shockand sorrow at the death of Pintoo.

President of BOA and Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman and its Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza also condoled the death of Shadhin Banglafootball team Captain Pintoo.

Bangladesh Volleyball Federation also expressed deep shock at the death of Zakaria Pintoo.

Zakaria, who was also the first captain of Bangladesh's national football team, was suffering from a variety of illnesses. He also suffered from kidney and liver issues.

Zakaria Pintoo was the first person to wave the flag of Bangladesh on foreign soil. 

Swadhin Bangla Football Team was an amazing concept to gain public support and raise funds for the Liberation War.

The pro-independence footballers formed the team. A total of sixteen matches were played around India with the intention of earning money to aid liberation fighters and the struggle. 

After the Liberation War, he captained the national team. Bangladesh took part in the 1973 Merdeka Cup in Malaysia with him as the captain. He was also a Football organiser of the Mohammedan Sporting Club. 

Bangladesh has witnessed the passing of many of its heroes in recent times. Saidur Rahman Patel, the organiser of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team, also expired on  August 8. 



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