Pushkin, who devoted his post-playing days as an organiser after retiring from Abahani as a player in 1989, left behind his mother, wife and an eight-year-old son.

Merely a month ago, Pushkin was running through the corridors of this same hospital to save the life of his close friend Monem Munna, the national football captain who died of kidney ailments on February 12.

The irony is that the amicable organiser, who was busy organising Munna's chehlum later this month, breathed his last at the same ICU where his old friend had been admitted.

Pushkin, who managed the Abahani hockey team virtually with his lone efforts, suffered a stroke yesterday morning and was rushed to the BMCH. He was on life-support system before being declared dead by the doctors at 6.55 pm.

Bangladesh Hockey Federation president Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam and general secretary Shamsul Bari and scores of friends, associates and relatives visited him at the hospital.

Pushkin earned recognition as a right winger at Rayerbazar AC before switching to Abahani in 1984. He also played cricket for Cantonian Club in 1980-81 season before joining Sadharan Bima.

Pushkin's body was taken to his house at Dhanmondi road no. 19 from the hospital and later kept at the BIRDEM mortuary.

His namaj-e-janazas will be held at the Abahani ground today after the Johr prayers and at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium at 2.30 pm. He will be buried at the Banani graveyard.

Leader of the Opposition and Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina condoled Pushkin's untimely death.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman, Bangladesh Hockey Federation, AL general secretary Abdul Jalil, joint secretary Obaidul Quader, political secretary to the AL president and former Bangladesh Cricket Board president Saber Hossain Chowdhury, AL leader and Abahani director Harunur Rashid, AL youth and sports secretary and former national footballer Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, Abahani and Mohammedan Sporting Club also condoled his death.