Razia Sultana, a former national women's team footballer, died of childbirth complications at her home in Satkhira on Thursday.
Razia, 20, breathed her last due to excessive bleeding after childbirth at her village home in Lakshinathpur of Mautla Union Parishad under Kaliganj Upazila.
Family members and Upazila Chairman Said Mehdi said Razia gave birth to a son at 10pm on Wednesday. Later, she started bleeding excessively around 4am. At one stage, she suffered a stroke and died on the way to Satkhira Sadar Hospital.
Razia's cousin Rokonuzzaman Moral said: “An ambulance was brought at night after the complications arose. But at one time, the ambulance was sent back as the condition improved. Then she died suddenly. The doctors at Satkhira Hospital declared her dead.”
She is scheduled to be buried after Asr prayers on Thursday.
One of Razia’s teammates on the national team, Sanjida Akhter, said she is deeply saddened by the sudden death. “Our careers basically started at the same time. We have lost a friend.”
The upazila chairman said Razia was a talented football player, but her family was not doing very well financially.
She played for the under-14, -16, and -19 national football teams but could not continue after her marriage.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, its senior vice president, vice presidents, all executive members, general secretary, standing committee officials, and employees expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Razia.
They also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
