Ex-rivals join battle for BFF senior vice-president post
During their playing career Abahani defender Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul faced Mohammedan striker Abdus Salam Murshedy many times in the field.
Decades after they hung their boots the two former footballers are set for another epic contest, this time off-the-field. The duo emerged as the two most likely candidates for the coveted senior vice-president post in the forthcoming elections of Bangladesh Football Federation, scheduled on April 30.
The number of contenders for the senior vice-president post was reduced to two from four as Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club president Manzur Kader and Mohammedan director in-charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan have all but decided to withdraw their nomination papers.
It paved the way for Tutul as the only candidate from the Bachao Football (salvage football) panel, the opposition group that threw a challenge to the Kazi Salahuddin-led incumbent panel.
Former national footballer Abdul Gaffar, who will contest in the executive member post under the banner of Bachao Football panel, confirmed the news of Kader and Lokman’s withdrawal.
‘We have decided in our panel meeting that Kader bhai and Lokman bhai will withdraw their forms from the SVP post,’ Gaffer said. ‘Both will work for our panel behind the scene.’
Lokman also submitted nomination form for the vice-president post but Gaffar said he is yet to take a final decision whether he will contest for this post or not.
Murshedy was elected as the senior vice-president in the last two BFF elections while Tutul, who earned a name mostly as a cricket organiser, is going to take part in the BFF elections for the first time.
A total of 55 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for 21 BFF posts.
The last date for the withdrawal is today.
-With New Age input
