Saif Powertec Limited, the commercial rights holder of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, took a swipe at the Bangladesh Football Federation for suspending the competition after eighth round merely for an age-level competition. The BFF postponed the league in order to give Under-18 national football team some preparation time for the forthcoming SAFF Under-18 Championship, scheduled in Bhutan later this month.
The decision unheard in any other part of the world came as a further blow to the company who were yet to manage a title sponsor for the league and decided to provide sponsorship money from its own exchequer.
Saif Powertec Limited managing director Tarafder Ruhul Amin slammed BFF for taking such decision without consulting them.
‘They [BFF] have suspended the league without consulting us, which was completely against the terms and conditions mentioned in the MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] signed with the federation,’ Amin told reporters at a press briefing at his office in Mohakhali on Tuesday.
‘We made a lot of investment in the league. We are already running into loss due to the league committee and we haven’t got a good sponsor.
‘The broadcasters are facing trouble due to the postponement of the league again and again.
‘It’s a shame for us because we are professional but those we are working with are not.’
Amin, who is also involved with two participating clubs of the league, said the matches of the league should have been rescheduled instead of the suspension.
‘Matches of those clubs, who have more under-18 players, could have been rescheduled instead of suspending the league,’ said Amin, also the owner of Saif Sporting Club.
Ironically, Saif have most number of under-18 players (six) in the squad.
‘Saif have the most number of players but they didn’t ask for suspension.’
Amin said the decision came only to halt the progress of teams like Chittagong Abahani, Saif Sporting and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club who are now in better positions in the points table.
This was second time the league suffered for what Saif said a whimsical decision of football oversight body, which delayed the start of the competition for nearly two months during to AFC U-23 qualifying round.
Bangladesh conceded 13 goals and scored just one in three matches of the competition held in Palestine.
-With New Age input
