Swadhin Bangla football team captain Zakaria Pintoo has passed away at the age of 81. He breathed his last at 11:45 am on Monday while undergoing treatment in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Ibn Sina Hospital in Shankar, Dhaka.
Pintoo, who was also the first captain of the Bangladesh national football team, had been suffering from heart, kidney, and liver complications. He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday afternoon after his condition worsened.
Sources stated that he suffered a heart attack while in the CCU, which led to the rapid deterioration of his condition, and he could not be revived.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) mourned his passing in a press release, stating, "His contributions to our nation's independence and football legacy will never be forgotten. May Allah grant him eternal peace."
Born in Naogaon in 1943, Pintoo represented both the Pakistan national football team and the East Pakistan football team, captaining the latter on several occasions.
In recognition of his contributions to the country's football, the Government of Bangladesh honored him with the Independence Award in 1995 and the National Sports Award in 1978.