Former national footballer Helal passes away

Former national footballer and organizer Golam Rabbani Helal died on Saturday at a city hospital. He was 63.

He left behind his wife, two daughters and many followers as one of the most admired footballers of Dhaka League of its golden epoch. 

Helal, who was kept at the ICU of Square Hospital since Thursday, suffered a brain hemorrhage and breathed his last on around noon.

Helal had been suffering from kidney disease and undergoing dialysis for the last year. He also underwent an open-heart surgery after a cardiac arrest in April, 2017.

His first Namaz-e-Janaza was held on Saturday after Asr prayers at the Abahani Club ground before another Janaza was taken place at the BFF. Later he was buried at the Azimpur Graveyard.  

Helal played for the national team from 1979 to 1985. At the club level, he played for Dhaka Abahani regularly from 1975 to 1988 and had a short stint with BJMC. He also played for Bangladesh team in the Asian Youth Football in Dhaka in 1978.

He was one of four national footballers sent to jail along with three Abahani players –  Kazi Salahuddin, Ashrafuddin Chunnu and Kazi Anwar – following a Dhaka derby clash with traditional rivals Mohammedan SC in 1982. 

After retiring from football, Helal become the director of Dhaka Abahani and served the club in different capacities. Helal also served Bangladesh Football Federation as an executive committee member from 2008.

Meanwhile, BFF President Kazi Salahuddin and other officials and staff expressed their condolences at the passing away of the former national booter. 

In a separate condolence message, Abahani Limited expressed profound shock at the death of Helal and recalled his outstanding contributions in football to the club’s success in the 1970s and 80s.