Major General (Rtd) Khandakar Nurunnabi, a member of the Swadin Bangla Football Team, national sports awardee and organiser, died of cardiac arrest at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka yesterday at the age of 71.

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter and a host of well-wishers. The date for his Namaz-e-Janaza is set to be announced after his daughter returns from Canada.

Nurunnabi participated in one match out of the sixteen that Swadhin Bangla Football team played during the Liberation War. He played the first match against Nadia District Eleven in Krishna Nagar, West Bengal on July 24, 1971. After the match, Nurunnabi joined the war.

Nurunnabi was the only Bangladeshi goalkeeper to represent the all Pakistan national team since 1970. He also took part in the RCD Tournament in Iran and played against teams like Iran and Turkey.

He also played for local giants Mohammedan and Azad SC. After representing Azad SC for two years, from 1963 to 1964, the goalkeeper joined Mohammedan with a group of prominent footballers like Zakaria Pintoo, Protap Sanker Hazra, Kaykobad and Golam Sarwar Tipu.

He played for Mohammedan for six years during which time he won three titles of the then Premier Football League, while also winning the Aga Khan Gold Cup once.