Football loses two stars

The football community suffered two deaths in the last two days as former footballer-turned-organisers Brigadier (Retd) Mahmudul Hasan and Mohammad Salauddin Kala died of cardiac arrest at their respective residences.
Mahmudul Hasan, former East Pakistan national football team player, a former BKSP DG and national awardee, passed away Tuesday at the age of 69 in Gazipur while Salahuddin Kala, the former manager of Rahmatganj MFS, breathed his last in the early hours of Wednesday at the age of 59 at his Lalbagh residence. Kala was laid to rest at the Azimpur graveyard after his namaj-e-janaza at the Lalbagh Shahi Mosque.
Kala, who last worked as manager of Rahmatganj MFS in the 2010-11 season, started his playing career as a goalkeeper for Rahmatganj in the third division league in 1969 and played for the Old Dhaka outfit for a long time before spending three years in Abahani and Shadhara Bima from 1974-76 as a forward.
He came back to Rahmatganj and guided the club to runners-up finish in the First Division League in 1977 before calling time in 1980.
Mahmudul Hasan played for Victoria Sporting Club in 1966 and the East Pakistan national football team in 1969.
The Bangladesh Football Federation, Rahmatganj MFS, Sonali Otit Club, Sommilito Krira Paribar, Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association and Bangladesh Sports Press Association conveyed their condolences to the members of the deceased families.