How is Sylhet’s 'Telegram age' goalkeeper Ranjit Das doing

He used to introduce himself as “a person from the Telegram age”. Why shouldn’t he? He was born on 29 October 1932. In seven months’ time, he will be 91.

He lives on the second floor of his four-storey residence at Pathantula of Korer Para inside Sylhet city. Even a few years back, sports journalists would pay a visit to Ranjit Das’ home whenever they came in Sylhet. Ranjit would take a trip down the memory lane and tell stories from the 1950s-60s when he was one of the premier goalkeepers in this region in football and hockey and later of his days as a coach. But Ranjit can’t tell stories of the past like before. Due to age-related complications he has lost much of his memory.

This reporter has met him at his home many times in the past. But this time, the meeting was very different. No words were exchanged. Ranjit couldn’t even recognise this reporter when he saw him on 29 March, right before Bangladesh football team’s match FIFA friendly match against Mongolia in Sylhet.

His son Rajib Das took me inside the house. Ranjit was sitting on his bed, with his granddaughter by his side. At this stage of his life, his grandchildren are his main companions.

His family members helped him to the living room. His picture was hanging on the wall and his trophies were on the showcase. After sitting Ranjit down on a sofa, he was handed the Grameenphone-Prothom Alo Lifetime Achievement award that he had won in 2006. The trophy refreshed his memory and he said by himself, “Oh… Prothom Alo, Matiur Rahman (the editor of Prothom Alo)!” He said nothing more. With a pleased look in his eyes, he took a look around the trophy. His wife Rekha Das said, “He gives extra importance to this award from Prothom Alo.”

He was admitted into Sylhet’s MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on 24 December last year after his health deteriorated. At that time he couldn’t speak at all. His son Rajib Das said, “My father started showing different symptoms due to his kidney problems. He also contracted pneumonia. The physicians said his situation was critical. But due to his age, they didn’t recommend surgery. They told us to be extra cautious. But after staying at the hospital for three to four days, he stubbornly said that if he isn’t taken back home, he won’t take any of his medicines. After six days at the hospital, we had to take him back home due to his insistence. At that time, he could only consume liquids. Now he can eat small amounts of solid foods.”

He is now almost completely bed-ridden. He stays quite almost the entire day. Sometimes he calls his grandchildren, but that’s about it. His son Rajib said, “He recognises family members. A nephew of mine comes at the house every Friday. Seeing him, my father said, “Oh, today is Friday then.” Because he remembered that my nephew comes in on Fridays. But most of the times he can’t recognise other people. He just stares at them and asks questions by himself.”

Ranjit Das debuted in Dhaka’s top flight football in 1955 at the Ispahani Club. Next he played at the Azad Sporting Club and Mohammedan. Azad Sporting Club became Dhaka League champions only once. Ranjit was the captain in the title winning campaign. He won the league and Aga Khan Gold Cup the same year with Mohammedan. He also rose to prominence as the goalkeeper of the East Pakistan football and hockey teams.

He could give big dives. Without this ability, he wouldn’t have made it to the East Pakistan team as a goalkeeper standing at just five feet and four inches, remark his contemporaries. But Ranjit Das could never play for the Pakistan team in either football or hockey. He has spoken about this regret many times. But he used to talk about the good times more than the regrets. A few years back he had said, “Bashir Ahmed and I went to give a trial for the Pakistan hockey team. We had a lot of fun together. Bashir got to play in the Pakistan team, but I didn’t.”

Maybe he still remembers these stories, but he can’t speak out loud anymore.

*This report appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and was rewritten for the English edition by Ashfaq-Ul-Alam Niloy