Former Bangladesh footballer Golam Dostogir no more

Former national team footballer Golam Dostogir, popularly known as Neera, died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Khulna on Saturday night. He was 60.

The former left-back left behind a wife, a son, and a host of well-wishers to mourn his sudden death.

"Neera bhai left us at about 9:30pm last night at the ICU of City Medical College Hospital in Khulna. He was first rushed to Nargis Memorial before being transferred to City Medical College Hospital where ECG report revealed his cardiac arrest," former footballer Jahangir Hossain, who is known as Chhoto Jahangir, told The Daily Star.

"He felt pain in his chest after conducting the training of his Khulna City Academy players. He took some medicines at home after Magrib prayer, but was later taken to the hospital after his condition deteriorated," said Jahangir, adding that he would be laid to rest at the graveyard in Tutpara Paiker More in Khulna.

Neera played for Brothers Union and Abahani before representing the national football team in the 1989 World Cup Qualifiers. He played for the Bangladesh Green team in the President Cup in Bangladesh in 1989.

"Neera was my teammate in both Abahani and the national team. He was a brilliant left-back, and also had a good understanding with me. I scored a lot of goals from his final passes," said former national striker Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, also a footballer from Khulna.

"My heart is heavy after hearing of his departure. I have a lot of memories with Neera," said Aslam.