The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is set to hold its election in October. The recent executive meeting, chaired by Kazi Salahuddin at the BFF Bhavan, was predominantly centred on the election preparations.
Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedi had previously stepped down. Among the four vice-presidents, only Imrul Hasan attended the meeting online, while the other three were absent. A few executive members were present in person.
Former national team captain Satyajit Das Rupu was notably active and subsequently addressed the press. He revealed that 133 voting councillors and nine non-voting councillors have been approved for the forthcoming elections. Additionally, both the Election Commission (EC) and the Election Appeal Commission have been established.
Mejbah Uddin, who has served as the Chief Election Commissioner for four consecutive terms, faced calls for his replacement from a group of former footballers and organisers. However, the federation's executive committee expressed confidence in his leadership. Rupu explained, "He has managed past elections very smoothly, which is why the board has decided to reappoint him."
When asked if any alternative candidates were considered, Rupu stated, "Since he has been given the responsibility, there is no other name to mention."
Although the Election Commission received official approval, top BFF officials had been working on it for several months. Mejbah Uddin's tenure as Chief Election Commissioner continues, with no discrepancies found in discussions with international organisations like FIFA and AFC.
The BFF has elected 139 organisations for councillor nominations. However, Jashore and Shatkhira did not receive nomination forms due to legal issues, and four other districts were excluded due to complaints.
Under the FIFA Goal Project, the BFF has constructed buildings in the Motijheel-Arambagh area. After a decade and a half, these buildings will undergo renovation, funded by a Tk 2 crore donation from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Rupu stated, "The renovation of our building will be funded by the AFC. Along with the renovation, a new media centre will be built, which has been a long-standing demand."
General Secretary Imran Hossain Tushar elaborated on the renovation plans, highlighting the need for various changes in the existing building. The four-storey building will see reforms prioritised, including the construction of a media centre. The ground floor will house a reception room and store room, the second floor will accommodate administrative functions and offices for the president, senior vice-president, and four vice-presidents. The third floor will feature conference rooms and offices for coaches, referees, and technical departments, while the fourth floor will serve as a camp for women footballers.
The AFC has already allocated funds for the media centre and building renovation, but progress was delayed due to paperwork complications. With these issues resolved, the BFF is now moving forward with the reforms.
The current BFF committee's tenure ends on October 26. It remains to be seen how the newly elected committee will implement these decisions. Besides election matters, the women's SAFF and the November FIFA window were also discussed. Rupu mentioned, "We have approved participation in the November window to ensure football activities continue despite the elections, making the transition easier for the next committee."
The final executive committee meeting was initially scheduled for Thursday, with the budget to be presented at the general meeting on October 26. However, another meeting will be held as some budget matters were not approved. Rupu concluded by stating that BFF President Kazi Salahuddin will brief the media in the next meeting, which will primarily focus on approving the financial budget. The president also reflected on his 16-year tenure in football during the meeting, before addressing other agenda items.
