Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 234 Wed. January 21, 2004  
   
Sports


Western Union Senior Division Football League
Black cloud over Premier League


The Dhaka Mahanagari Football Lea-gue Committee (DMFLC) yesterday was forced to postpone two Western Union Premier Division matches following a ground invasion and ransacking by a section of Moha-mmedan Sporting Club supporters.

Nearly a hundred agitated Mohammedan fans carrying flags and banners marched into the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur protesting Monday's DMFLC decision to award Mukti-joddha Sangsad Krira Chakra full points from Thursday's unfinished match against the Black and Whites.

The league committee also deducted one point from Moha-mmedan's collection and suspended captain Jewel Rana for one match for unruly behaviour in that eventful game. The clash of the titans saw a premature end when Mohammedan refused to play the last six minutes disputing Muktijoddha's equaliser which they claimed went inside straight from a Belal throw-in.

Referee Ramkrishna Ghosh had signalled a goal after the ball took a deflection off Mohamme-dan defender Shuvro's chest. But Mohammedan argued that by the time the ball hit Shuvro, he was standing inside the goalline.

The furious Mohammedan faithful also burnt an effigy of referee Ghosh as they demanded the postponement of the league until the authorities revoked their decision and awarded Mohamme-dan full points from the ill-fated match.

The supporters, who entered the stadium at around 12 noon, set fire to the advertising boards, lifted the goalposts at either end, tore the nets apart and broke the flagpoles. They then blocked the gates from inside and didn't let players of Sheikh Russell KC, Badda Jagarani, Brothers Union and Dhanmondi Club in. Sheikh Russell were scheduled to play the day's first match against Badda while table-toppers Brothers were due to take on Dhanmondi in the second fixture.

The matches have been rescheduled for today.

However, the resumption of the league has been thrown into uncertainty following another attack by the Mohammedan supporters on the referees' office at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday evening.

There was a reasonable police presence during both incidents but surprisingly the law enforcers opted to play the role of mere onlookers.

DMFLC secretary Mozammel Hoque Mukta blasted the inaction of the police.

"I can categorically say that it was the non cooperation of the police that forced us to cancel the two matches today. Had they performed their duties and removed the unruly elements, we could have easily fixed the posts and the poles in ten minutes and started the first match on time," said Mukta talking to The Daily Star Sport on Tuesday.

While their supporters were letting their anger out in the open, Mohammedan officials vowed not to take any further part in the championship unless the DMFLC reconsidered their appeal of disallowing the goal.

In a letter to the DMFLC, the club demanded that the authorities go through the video footages of that controversial moment and decide whether the goal was legitimate or not. The club also appealed for exemplary punishment for Ghosh because of his 'biased' decision. The club requested DMFLC to re-start the match from where it was stopped. The letter signed by the Motijheel giants' general secretary Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, also warned that the club will not be responsible for any untoward situation that may arise if the DMFLC failed to reconsider the disciplinary measures taken against it.

Picture
THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT: (1) The match officials' table bears the brunt of some incensed Mohammedan fans. (2) Mohammedan followers stage a sit-in inside the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. (3) A groundstaff shows the torn net which was taken apart by the invaders. (4) Mohammedan fan club fixed a banner 'declaring' postponement of the Premier Division League at the entrance of the stadium. (5) Given an unscheduled break, Brothers Union stars Liton (L) and Biplob try out some roadside treats outside the stadium. PHOTO: Anisur Rahman