The country’s elite footballers are urging BFF to start the next football season quickly subject to the improvement of the Covid-19 situation. On two occasions, they met with BFF President Kazi Salauddin to discuss on this regard.
Even if the situation does not improve, the life and livelihood of elite players like Mamunul and Ashraful may not be affected as they are well off. However, what about the lower level players, whose source of income are solely dependent on playing football consistently.
The situation is deplorable. Football is the only source of income for the players of the first division or the championship league.
Last year, Faisal Islam played for Gazipur City in the third division. "The plight of the young footballers is deplorable, as there is no source of income for us” he told media on Tuesday.
The situation is the more of the same at the upper level. Liton Ravi Das, who played in the Nawabpur Sports Circle in the first division last year, was looking forward to playing in the second-tier championship of the professional league.
His contract with the new team Fortis also became imminent. But the coronavirus has floated everything into a sea of uncertainty.
Liton said in a sad voice, ‘Dad had a stroke two years ago. My older brother also suffered from stroke recently. There is no money for treatment.
Even if there was no league, I would have earned some money by playing consignment. Nothing is there now. I can't even get a job. I am in great trouble.’
The 13-team Championship League reshuffle began last March. But after the transfer window, everything stopped due to Corona. The league was also cancelled before it was rolled on the field. Many took some advance money but most of the players did not get it.
If there is no game in Dhaka, many players go to the district and run their family by playing consignment. Now they do not have this choice either.
The condition of footballers of the Premier League, country’s top football division, are not good either. Rahmatganj midfielder Saidul Hasan said, “I got only 60 percent money of my contract for the cancelled season.”
On the condition of anonymity, a Brothers footballer said his contract with the club was of Tk 10 lakh. At the time of signing, 80 percent was to be paid. However, he got only 2 lakhs.
