The High Court on Wednesday criticised eight national footballers for taking money from two clubs at the same without completing their contract for the previous season.
The all the eight players played for Sheikh Jamal Dhandmondi Club but opted out for new club, triggering a legal battle. The court also asked the footballers not to play for any club until Bangladesh Football Federation Players’ Status Committee determines which club they should play for in the next season.
Players’ Status Committee would need to determine the players’ status in two weeks after getting a copy of the court order, said the court.
National players are proud of a nation as they carry the national flag in abroad, said the court, adding people also respect them.
It is condemnable that they have taken money from two clubs, observed the court.
Out of the eight footballers, five of them Mamunul Islam, Nasir Chowdhury, Sohel Rana, Raihan Hasan and Yeamin Ahmed Chowdhury Munna took advance money to play for Chittagong Abahani in the 2016 session.
Two footballers Alamgir Kabir Rana and Jamal Bhuiyan took advance money to play for Sheikh Russell KC while goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel took money to play for Dhaka Abahani.
The bench of Justice Quamrul Islam Siddique and Justice Razik-Al Jalil issued the directives and made the observations while disposing of a writ petition filed by Sheikh Jamal football club seeking return of the eight players to its club.
Sheikh Jamal moved the High Court while the decision was still pending at BFF’s players’ status committee.
Jamal argued that the eight players took advance money from them to play for the side in the upcoming season but later opted for other clubs.
Other clubs argued that they took the players after their contract with Sheikh Jamal expired on January 28.
Some of the players claimed they accepted the money Jamal owed to them for their service in 2015 session.
Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared for Sheikh Jamal, Omar Sadat for Chittagong Abahani, and Mohammad Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury for BFF.
-With New Age input
