'Ekta durer jatrai jachchhi. Bandhura bhalo thakish, shatrura-o (Going for a long tour. Friends stay well, enemies as well)' – was the last status Al Musabbir Sadi had given on his facebook account on March 1 before going to Singapore for treatment.
Sadi had little idea that these would be his last words in the social networking site, nor did his friends. In less than two months after he was diagnosed with cancer, Sadi, a sports journalist turned general secretary of the Bangladesh Football Federation, breathed his last at a city hospital on Friday. He was 44.
Sadi is survived by his wife, two sons, both aged less than 10, mother, a brother, a sister and hosts friends and well wishers.
A pall of gloom descended on the Bangladesh sports arena at the death of Sadi, who was close to the heart not only of the country's football lovers, but also of the fans, players and organisers of other sports.
His body was first taken to his residence at Lalmatia and then to Modhubag where his first namaj-e-janaza was held after the Juma prayers.
His second namaj-e-janaza will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 12:00 noon today and he will be buried at the Mirpur martyred intellectuals graveyard.
Sadi started his career as a journalist with The Independent in 1995 before moving on to The Daily Star in 2005.
A long-time football reporter and a keen enthusiast of the game, Sadi had left The Daily Star in 2009 to pursue a career as the general secretary of the Bangladesh Football Federation.
A prolific writer, Sadi had also many articles published in the national Bengali dailies. He translated a book on Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association, Bangladesh Sports Press Association, Bangladesh Sports Journalists Community, Bangladesh Football Federation, Bangladesh Cricket Board and the state minister for youth and sports, Ahad Ali Sarkar, condoled the death of Sadi.
The BFF has postponed Friday's Bangladesh League game between Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Sheikh Russell KC to mourn the death of their general secretary.
Source: New Age
