Footballer and Independence Fighter, Saidur Rahman Patel Passes Away
Saidur Rahman Patel, the chief organizer of the independent Bengali football team, passed away on Thursday (August 8) afternoon Bangladesh time, after a long battle with cancer. He was 76 years old.
Saidur was diagnosed with cancer a year ago and traveled to America for treatment. He received treatment at a hospital in Los Angeles, USA, for the past year and breathed his last there.
Saidur’s contributions to the Bangladesh Liberation War will be forever remembered. He played a pivotal role in forming the independent Bengali football team in 1971, organizing fundraising tours to India to support the liberation struggle.
Before becoming an organizer, Saidur was a talented footballer, playing for prominent teams in Dhaka and representing Farashganj in the second division in 1968. He later joined PWD in the first division in 1970.