Tamim thought suffering from gastric issues

The Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match between Mohammedan Sporting Club and Shine Pukur at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) on Monday started just like any other match for Debabarata Biswas.

As referee of the match, he went to the ground with two captains Tamim Iqbal and Rayan Rafsan at 9:00 am today. Debabarata Biswas had talks with Tamim then too.

However, Tamim Iqbal started feeling uneasy returning to the dressing room from the toss.

Mohammedan official Tariqul Islam told him that maybe he was suffering from gastric problem. “You don’t need to go to the ground. Have some rest,” he told Tamim.

But Tamim’s sense of unease grew more in a few minutes. He informed Tariqul that he was not feeling well, feeling pain in the mouth.

Tariqul and team manager Sazzad Hossain and other people related to Mohammedan Sporting Club took him to KPJ Specialised Hospital, near the BKSP, immediately. A BKSP physician also helped them. The physician advised the Mohammedan officials to take Tamim to the KPJ Specialised Hospital.

Tamim went to the hospital in his car. Earlier, at 9:22 am, Mohammedan’s physio Enam phoned match referee Debabrata Biswas and informed him about taking Tamim to the hospital as he was feeling pain in the chest.

Mohammedan started playing the match without their captain and southpaw opener, Tamim Iqbal, at 9:30 am.

ECG and some other preliminary tests of Tamim were conducted at the hospital but it was unclear as to what happened to him. Meanwhile, an air ambulance was brought to the BKSP ground for Tamim from Dhaka.

As nothing was detected in the preliminary tests at KPJ Hospital, Tamim also thought he would conduct more tests returning to Dhaka.

But the former national cricket team player fainted even before boarding the helicopter returning from the KPJ Hospital.

Debrata Biswas said foams were coming out of his mouth and physicians were not feeling his pulse. Everyone was at their wits end at this sudden situation.

The BKSP physio said the condition is not good. There could be more complications if it were attempted to take him to Dhaka by helicopter. It would be better to take him to a nearby hospital.

The helicopter’s pilot said that it would not be right for Tamim to fly at this health condition.

Then he was taken to KPJ Specialised Hospital by an ambulance again at 11:20 am. Mohammedan’s trainer Yaqub Chowdhury continuously punched on the chest of Tamim in the ambulance.

Tamim’s condition was very critical at that time, witnesses said. He was not responding to any calls from anyone.

Upon bringing Tamim to hospital he was put on life support. In the meantime, his family members also arrived at the hospital.

Tamim’s angiogram, angioplasty and stenting was performed under the supervision of KPJ Hospital’s cardiologist Moniruzzaman Maruf.

A stent was placed in Tamim’s heart as a block was found in the angiogram.

Currently, Tamim is under observation at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of KPJ Specialised Hospital. His wife Ayesha Siddika is accompanying him there

When Tamim regained his consciousness, he spoke to his family members and the physicians, BCB chief physician Debashish Chowdhury told the media.

He further said that Tamim will be under the physician’s observation for the next 48 hours. The first 24 hours are critical, he added.