Seven clubs ask for participation money to BFF

The Competitions Committee of Bangladesh Football Federation informed the Bangladesh Premier League outfits about the decisions of the professional league management committee just three days after a meeting held on February 1. 

Most of the decisions were made for the upcoming 2025-26 season with the obligation of signing five U-20 players in the 35-member squad and fielding one of them in the playing eleven, signing of foreign players, time of the transfer window,  number of competitions and schedules for next season.

However, the majority of the participating clubs are seemingly in a tight situation to comply with these decisions. Seven club representatives on Tuesday met with BFF president Tabith Awal, suggesting him to discuss these matters with the clubs before taking a final decision for the next season. 

"The ongoing season is supposed to end in the end of May and the window of next season is scheduled to open on June 1. In these circumstances, how is it possible for the clubs to participate in the transfer window as the clubs are struggling to manage money for the ongoing season?" questioned a club official, who preferred to remain anonymous. 

"As the clubs are run on donations, how is it possible to ask the donors to pay for due payment of the players in the ongoing season and next month request them to donate money for the new squads for the upcoming season?" he also questioned.

The club representatives also requested the BFF president to provide them with participation money.

The representatives of seven clubs – Mohammedan, Abahani, Brothers Union, Rahmatganj, Chittagong Abahani, Fakirerpool Young Men's Club, Dhaka Wanderers Club – also requested the BFF president to ask the professional league management committee to discuss with the clubs before taking such decisions.

BFF president Tabith Awal, who is supposed to leave the country for England today, assured the clubs' representatives to sit with them later  this month to sort out their problems. 

The professional league management committee previously used to feature club representatives and BFF officials, allowing issues to be discussed in meetings. But the inclusion of club representatives in the committee was scrapped four seasons ago after former BFF president Kazi Salahuddin took over the chair from Abus Salam Murshedy. 

Now, BFF's senior vice-president Imrul Hassan-led professional league management committee has officially no club representative and the committee takes decisions without discussing with the clubs.