World football governing body FIFA has extended the deadline day of Bangladesh Premier League transfer window due to unrest across the country, confirmed a football federation official Saturday.
“The deadline day was August 19, Monday. Fifa extended it by three days. The deadline is now August 22. We informed this to the clubs,” Bangladesh Football Federation competition manager Jaber Bin Taher Ansary told Dhaka Tribune.
Due to political turmoil in the last three weeks and more, BFF first applied for the extension of deadline on August 10, which was rejected.
“The 11-week and three-day transfer window could be extended up to highest 12 weeks. We first requested to extend it for two weeks due to the current situation in Bangladesh, but FIFA turned it down. We applied again,” said Jaber.
Country’s football faced severe heat following the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government.
The club offices of former Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani Limited and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were vandalized on August 5.
Calls for BFF president Kazi Salahuddin to step down from his post have been persistent for the last few days and it was no different Saturday.
Most BPL clubs are run by Awami League leaders.
The clubs’ fortunes have changed drastically in the last few weeks.
The respective clubs too have been facing the heat.
A BFF official, requesting anonymity, said in most clubs the “patrons are unavailable”, one of the reasons why they sought transfer window extension.
ollowing the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid the student-led protests on August 5, the premises of a few clubs like Abahani, Sheikh Jamal DC, and Fortis FC were vandalised by miscreants.
Clubs such as Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russel KC, Rahmatganj MFS, and Brothers Union verbally requested Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to extend the players’ registration window, citing possible changes to their respective executive committees as well as difficulties in contacting their donors.
BFF thus officially requested the relevant department of FIFA to extend the transfer window, considering the current situation in Bangladesh, but the world football’s governing body responded negatively.
“They told us that it is not possible to extend the deadline for player transfers once the window has been opened. We have already informed all participating clubs verbally about FIFA’s decision. Now, all clubs must complete their players’ registrations by August 19,” said BFF competition manager Zaber Bin Taher Ansari.
The players’ registration window for BPL opened on June 1, with only Abahani having officially completed the registration of 14 players as of Wednesday.
