Bangabandhu Stadium dispute (25 November 1998)

25 November 1998

Bangabandhu Stadium dispute

Our Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) in an emergency meeting last Monday expressed its discontent about NSC's decision to allot the Bangabandhu Stadium to the federation for a limited period.

Chaired by Mohammad Hanif, mayor of Dhaka City Corporation and president of BFF, the largely attended meeting resolved that four months and 13 days will not be enough to complete the BFF calendar, for which they need six months.

"We have decided to send a letter to the State Minister for Youth and Sports with a request to extend the allotment for six months, which was what was done in the past," said BFF joint-secretary, Sirajul Islam Bachchu, yesterday.

"Without that, we can not organise the league, the Federation Cup and the Mahanagari Cup," said Bachchu, adding that Dhaka Stadium was always shared by cricket and football equally.

Monday's meeting also decided to ask the State Minister what the BFF will say to the nation for losing one complete year. Because cricket will be played at the stadium till April 1999, there will be no football programme at the stadium this year. NSC has awarded the stadium to BFF from April 25 to September 7.

It was also decided at the meeting that the BFF president should immediately meet the local press and brief them about the current situation.

Another meeting of the BFF will be held soon to finalise the new calendar in view of the new allotment.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)