Kamrul Ashraf Khan, MP, on Sunday promised that the past glory and popularity of the country’s football will be revived through proper planning and adequate financial support from sports-loving businessmen if they are elected in the BFF election.
Kamrul, president candidate in the ensuing BFF Election and a renowned businessman, made the promise while addressing programme marking the introduction the panel and manifesto announcement of Bachao Football (Save Football) panel at a local hotel.
A total of 134 councilors will exercise their voting rights in the BFF Election scheduled for April 30 at Radisson Blu Water Garden hotel in the capital.
“In the present world, football is very much expensive. So it’s not easy to run football without money. Players play football, but oraganisers have to arrange sufficient funds to run the game in a benefitting manner,” Ashraf Khan added.
President of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Manjur Kader made an introductory speech at the ceremony which turned into a reunion of football organisers and former footballers.
Renowned sports organiser and politician Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, captain of the Swadhin Bangla Football team Zakaria Pintu, footballer Golam Sarwar Tipu and Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Samrat also spoke at the panel introducing ceremony conducted by Director-in-charge of Dhaka Mohammedan SC Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan.
“We prepared a panel with a group former star footballers and famed organisers under the banner of Bachao Football to make BFF transparent and accountable to everybody to end the present autocratic regime,” said Manjur Kader.
Bachao Football Parishad placed a 14-point manifesto that include arranging district football league on regular basis, talent hunt from grassroots level through arranging different tournaments and age group football at district and divisional level, taking initiatives to construct football academies in eight divisions, reintroducing Sher-e-Bangla and Suhrawardy Cups and players quota at university and college levels.
The Kamrul Ashraf-led panel, announced on Sunday, fielded a panel with 14 members out of 15. They did not field any candidate for senior vice-president, leading to Abdus Salam Murshedy from Salahuddin-led panel elected unopposed.
Kamrul Ashraf-led panel:
President: Kamrul Ashraf Khan; Vice-presidents: Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu, Khurshid Alam Babul, AKM Mominul Haque Sayeed and Najib Ahmed.
EC members: Imtiaz Sultan Joni, Bijon Barua, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Abdul Gaffar, Nawsher Uzzaman, Abu Hasan Chowdhury Prince, Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu, Asfar Uz Zaman Khan Sohrab, Saifur Rahman Moni, Mohammad Tipu Sultan, Mohammad Iqbal, Kamrun Nahar Dana, Sayed Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir and Kaiser Hamid.
Kazi Salahuddin-led panel:
President: Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, Senior Vice-president: Abdus Salam Murshedy (elected unopposed); Vice-presidents: Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP, Badal Roy, Shamshul Haque Chowdhury, MP, and Mahiuddin Ahmed Mahi.
EC members: Harun Ur Rashid, Amirul Islam Babu, Satyjit Das Rupu, Fazlur Rahman Babul, Elias Hossain, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, Saleh Zaman Selim, Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir, Mahiuddin Ahmed Selim, Tawfikul Islam Tofa, Arif Hossain Moon, Amit Khan Shuvra, Abdur Rahim, Alamgir Khan Alo and Zakir Hossain Chowdhury. Meanwhile, some other independent candidates are also in the election race.
They are President: Golam Rabbani Helal and Nurul Islam Nuru (Independent) Vice-president cndidates: Tabith Awal and Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan. EC member candidates: Amer Khan, Iqbal Hossain and Asaduzzaman Mitu.
It was learnt that Nurul Islam Nuru quit the race and lent his support to Kamrul Ashraf Khan.
