The late-night development was a continuation of the drama that began with Brothers Union's coup of assembling ten national players to their tent on Wednesday afternoon.

Although fascinating incidents in the football arena ahead of the inter-club players' transfer was not unexpected, however, the presence of muscle-power has given this year's event an ugly look with the bourse only nine days away.

The uncalled-for action of the police was prompted by the news of country's number one goalkeeper Aminul Haq's disappearance without a trace.

Muktijoddha was quick to blame Abahani accusing the popular Dhanmondi outfit of kidnapping the goalkeeper who has played for the all-reds in the last three seasons. Following a complaint from Aminul's brother Moin Haq with the Ramna police station, the law enforces showed amazing urgency in searching for Aminul who was rumoured to have been in Abahani's custody.

"About a two hundred-strong contingent of police including

plainclothes members entered the club by jumping over the security fencing at around 2.30am last night and started ransacking the rooms of players and officials. They didn't even bother to show any search warrant," said Abahani's office secretary Subash Some at an impromptu press briefing yesterday.

He also claimed that Mukti-joddha Sangsad manager Abdus Sattar was with the policemen during the raid.

Abahani's football secretary Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu was fuming at the police tirade. "The club has experienced many untoward incidents in the past. But what happened last night was simply unthinkable. This was the first time in the country's history that a sports club has been raided by police accompanied by members of a rival club," said Chunnu.

"The drama involving players is a normal thing ahead of transfers.

This is part and parcel of football. But last night's attack was shameful and an unprecedented act against a club with a glorious past," said Abahani's chief co-ordinator Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul.

He also termed it as a bad example and feared that it could lead to sports organisers leaving the scene because of insecurity.

"There is no place for mastans in sports. Muktijoddha should remember that in terms of popularity they are nowhere near Abahani. This is a club supported by the majority of the people of this country. We are not afraid but we are concerned with the interference of police in club affairs," said Abahani's football manager Monem Munna.

Abahani officials also emphasised that a player is free to choose his own destiny.

"You can not force a player to play against his desire. I have also gone through the same situation during my playing career", said Munna, a former national captain and an Abahani stalwart.

Abahani has decided to take up the issue with the State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman and will also lodge a complaint to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president SA Sultan.

"We also want government action against the police attack", said Chunnu adding that the club directors will meet soon to decide whether to participate in the transfers or not.