Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has been rocked by sanctions from FIFA's ethics committee. Senior vice-president Salam Murshedi was fined 10,000 Swiss francs for negligence and irregularities. This comes after the BFF submitted false information, faulty purchase orders, and fabricated documents during procurement and payment processes, further tarnishing the reputation of Bangladeshi football.
Kazi Salauddin, the BFF president since 2008, has faced scrutiny for a lack of progress on the field and a string of controversies. Bangladesh's FIFA ranking has even dropped to 184, raising questions about his leadership.
The recent FIFA penalties highlight long-standing issues within the BFF. Former footballers' concerns about corruption and lack of transparency were validated when Abu Naim Sohag, the former general secretary, was banned for two years in 2023 for fraud and neglect of duty. Sohag, who reportedly wielded significant influence over Salauddin, has been hit with a further three-year ban and a 20,000 Swiss franc fine for financial fraud uncovered in 2022.
FIFA has also imposed two-year bans and 10,000 Swiss franc fines on Chief Financial Officer Abu Hossain and Operations Manager Mizanur Rahman. Additionally, BFF procurement and store officer Hasan Sharif received a warning and must complete a FIFA compliance training course. A detailed 52-page report on Murshedi's actions is attached to the FIFA press release, with the verdict finalised in March 2024.
Following Sohag's initial ban in April 2023, Salauddin announced his lifetime expulsion at an emergency BFF meeting. He addressed the press conference himself, deflecting questions and offering explanations that often contradicted the inquiries. He vehemently denied any wrongdoing on his part or by the finance committee.
Murshedi maintains his innocence, claiming he relies on the information presented by BFF staff and is penalised for any negligence. He described the BFF's workflow as a chain process, where whoever signs off on documents appears responsible. He claims to oversee all procedures and only signs after final approval by FIFA and financial verification. However, he admits to only checking the total amount on financial documents, remaining unaware of the fraudulent tender practices employed by Sohag and his associates.
Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu, a former national team footballer and long-time critic of the current BFF committee, has called for their immediate resignation to salvage Bangladeshi football's reputation.
Chunnu believes the committee has failed and should step down. He points to the FIFA sanctions as validation of their claims about corruption within the BFF. The extensive FIFA investigation exposed irregularities previously flagged by external auditors and even raised concerns within the BFF's executive committee. Despite repeated recommendations to improve financial transparency, the BFF switched audit firms annually, failing to implement the suggested reforms.
Chunnu expressed no surprise at the penalties, stating that everyone knew about the ongoing investigation. FIFA identified discrepancies in areas flagged by external auditors, such as inflated invoices for major projects and allegations of employees linked to Sohag supplying goods to the federation.
Chunnu holds Murshedi accountable, arguing that as head of the finance committee, he cannot escape responsibility. He suggests that Murshedi's experience running a successful company could have been applied to prevent the situation at the BFF. By failing to properly oversee financial processes and placing blind trust in Sohag, Murshedi bears significant responsibility for the current crisis.
