Incumbent Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin-led combined panel on Wednesday was forced to postpone their scheduled panel introduction ceremony after a city hotel authority refused to provide them security. The postponement came amid allegations of intimidation, threat to the delegates, who will vote for 20 BFF posts on April 30.‘The hotel authority told us they are unable to provide us the venue due to the security reason,’ Salahuddin told reporters at a briefing. ‘We had asked for an explanation but they refused to provide the details.’
Salahuddin expressed his concern over the security of the delegates for the elections claiming that they received threats from a certain group for not attending any programme under the banner of combined panel.
‘It happened to many delegates,’ said Salahuddin, without naming any particular delegates. Some delegates were relived as we postponed our programmes. Actually they are very much concerned over their security.’
Salahuddin said he is concerned about the elections with the current scenario, though he said he was not asked by any government high-ups to quit the race.
‘We have to think a lot over the current situation,’ he said. ‘Still I didn’t get any pressure from any level of government but some individuals threatened me 14 or 15 days ago which I didn’t pay any heed.’
Salahuddin said that the FIFA and Asian Football Confederation are well aware of the current situation of Bangladesh ahead of the elections.
‘FIFA and AFC have all information’s over the current situation,’ he said adding that, ‘I spoke to AFC secretary several times today [Wednesday] and he expressed his concern.’
‘As a matter of fact, the AFC president [Salman Bin Ibrahim], who is supposed to land in Budapest just few hours later, also wanted to talk with me but I really don’t know what’s the reason.’
When asked whether there was any possibility of FIFA ban on Bangladesh, Salahuddin said he is not the right authority to make a comment on that.
‘I hope nothing will happen but I am not FIFA and AFC to give this answer, but if we face such situation I will try my best to protect it because I fought for my country.’
Meanwhile, independent president candidate Golam Rabbani Helal on Wednesday pulled out of the presidency race and announced his support for Salahuddin.
Helal was the first person who announced his candidacy of the president post against Salahuddin.
Helal is now claiming that Salahuddin is the right person to rescue country’s football from the current situation.
‘I supported him because he is the right person to rescue the game from this situation,’ said Helal in a sharp U-turn.
‘I quit the race because I’m not habituated with the ugly situation. The whole election process is badly affected with power and money.’
-With New Age input
