The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) election is scheduled for 26th October. The Executive Committee (EC) will be chosen by 139 nominated councillors from various organisations. Clubs, district football associations, and other affiliated body of the BFF must submit their representative names to the BFF by tomorrow (30th September).
There is intense competition within the football community over becoming a councillor in the BFF election. Many individuals are vying for the position, while those with voting power are striving to ensure their preferred candidates are nominated as councillors from various organisations, thereby securing votes in their favour. Different clubs and district football associations have their own factions, leading to ongoing negotiations for councillor nominations from these institutions.
Many organisations will finalise and submit their nominations to the BFF at the last minute 30th September. However, some organisations have already finalised their nominations. Councillor nominations for several Premier League clubs, the highest level of football in the country, are nearly complete. Notable nominations include Kazi Inam Ahmed, Director of the Cricket Board, from Dhaka Abahani; Engineer Golam Md. Alamgir, Chairman of the Football Committee, from Mohammedan Sporting Club; Shaheen from Fortis FC; and Member Secretary Sabbir Ahmed Arif from Brothers Union. Sheikh Russell Sporting Club, which is not participating in the league this time, has requested councillorship based on their participation in the last league. FIFA will respond to Sheikh Russell's request after consultation.
Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings face a dilemma due to their AFC Cup match in Bhutan on 26th October. Many officials will be in Bhutan, causing some uncertainty over their councillor nominations.
Tarafder Ruhul Amin announced his candidacy for the presidency the day after the incumbent president of the BFF Kazi Salahuddin declared he would not seek re-election. Two of Ruhul Amin's teams, Saif Sporting, have withdrawn. Ruhul Amin, who chaired Chittagong Abahani's football committee for ten years, is now seeking to become a councillor from Chittagong Abahani.
Former BFF vice-president Tabith Awal has also announced his candidacy for the presidency. Awal is a councillor from Nofel Sporting, his own club in the Championship League, the second tier of the Bangladesh Premier League. His younger brother, Tajwar Awal, recently became president of Arambagh KS and will serve as its councillor in the upcoming elections. Other notable councillor nominations include former Swimming Federation General Secretary Mahabubur Rahman Shaheen from Wanderers, Zaman from Victoria Sporting, and Habibun Nabi Sohail from Dilkusha Sporting.
For the first time, the top four clubs of the Women's Football League will have voting rights in the BFF elections. BCB director Manjurul Alam from champion Nasreen Sporting Club and Sohail from runner-up Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan Sporting are among the new councillors.
AJM Nasir, who was influential in the last three BFF elections as a councillor from the Chittagong Football Association, is now in hiding due to political changes and will not be a councillor this time. Former footballer Shahidul Islam will represent Chittagong.
District-wise votes play a crucial role in BFF elections, prompting different factions to appoint favourable councillors. Two district organisers, Advocate Ali Imam Tapan and Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan, raised concerns about the distribution of councillorship forms, alleging that a faction within BFF has distributed forms to several districts to secure votes. They called for the cancellation of these forms and their redistribution through official channels, citing that many district football association presidents are absconding or facing legal charges, which could influence councillor decisions.
According to the BFF constitution, election activities should commence 21 days before the election, meaning the Election Commission's work should start on 5th October. The BFF executive committee will meet this week to approve the constitution and the names of councillors submitted by various organisations.
Two unique aspects of the BFF elections distinguish them from other federation elections in the country. Firstly, while one must be a councillor to be elected in any federation, in BFF, one can be elected without being a councillor, provided they secure nomination papers signed by two councillors. Secondly, current executive committee members cannot serve as councillors. If they wish to be re-elected, they must submit nomination papers supported by two councillors.
