Bangladeshi footballer dies during 4-nation veterans match at West Bengal's Jalpaiguri

Bangladeshi veteran footballer Hamis Rashid was rushed to a hospital in a private car after he fell ill while playing the four nation match in Jalpaiguri. The doctor declared him death. Heart attack is cited as reason, as per initial reports. Unavailability of ambulance during an international match raised many questions around the footballer's death, sources said.

Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): Bangladeshi footballer Hamis Rashid W, 55, died a few hour after falling ill while playing in the 4-nation veterans match that started at Jalpaiguri here on Sunday. Hamis Rashid was rushed to Birpara State General Hospital after he fell sick on the field. The doctor on duty declared the former footballer dead.

Initial reports cited heart attack as the cause of his death. According to hospital sources, the real cause of death will be known only after the autopsy. The incident took place during the football match of ex-footballers from India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, which began at the Gairkata High School grounds. Many questions arose around the death of the former footballer. Why was there no ambulance on the field during such an international tournament?

After falling sick, the footballer was taken to the hospital in a private car. But how the death happened is still not clear. According to local sources, the body will undergo post mortem on Monday at the mortuary of Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital. The Banerhat police registered a case and started the investigation.

A veterans football match was begun at Goerkata High School ground in Banerhat block under the initiative of the Greenland Duars Club. On the first day of the competition, the Malda team played against Bangladesh on Sunday. The game was exciting from the start. The Bangladeshi player suddenly fell ill in the middle of the game. But there was no ambulance to take the player to the hospital, it was alleged. There was no medical team even for first aid, sources said.

Then the organizers of the game started giving him first aid on behalf of the authorities. When the condition worsened, he was taken to the Birpara State General Hospital. The player died there. Bangladesh team captain Arman said that the dead player's house is in Arambagh area of ​​Bangladesh. He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.