Bangladesh Football Federation on Wednesday deferred the inter-club player transfers for the fourth time for 15 days following an appeal from the clubs, said the officials.
The professional league committee of the BFF took the decision at an emergency meeting after receiving a written application from seven professional clubs, including popular giants Mohammedan SC and Abahani.
The transfer window was scheduled to be closed today.
As a consequence, the BFF has had to defer the Federation Cup, the season’s curtain raiser which was supposed to begin on November 4.
The professional league committee said it will now sit on November 16 to decide the schedule of the Federation Cup.
The draw for the Federation Cup, however, will be held on November 17.
‘Considering the current political situation, we decided in principle that he
deadline should be extended,’ said Abdur Salam Murshedi, chairman of the committee, at a press conference.
‘The clubs told that they will play despite political instability and promised us their allout co-operation. So, we are hopeful of starting the Federation Cup at the end of November,’ he added.
Sources said the decision did not go well with the BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, who reacted sharply over clubs’ proposal during the meeting.
‘I don’t know why they are extending the players’ transfer date time and again,’ a source quoted Salahuddin as saying at the meeting. ‘If the clubs are reluctant to participate in the transfer window in this political situation I think we should rather do it after the national election,’ a visibly angry Salahuddin told the meeting.
A club official seeking anonymity said the decision was made to favour a certain team, who are facing a cash crunch.
‘We have completed all formalities in order to participate in the transfers in time but recently Mohammedan officials requested us to sign in a letter as they are yet to form their team due to financial crisis,’ he said.
The league committee insisted the players’ status committee should solve the crisis regarding five footballers, who are accused for taking money from more than one club for the next season.
-With New Age input
