Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 598 Thu. February 02, 2006  
   
Sports


BFF releases '06 calendar


Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday released its calendar for the year 2006, but funnily there was no slot for the Dhaka Premier Football League.

The BFF, in its yesterday's executive committee meeting, formed a five-member committee with BFF vice-president Kazi Salahuddin as chairman to find out a way to keep the coveted Dhaka League running along with the Professional League, scheduled to be launched in September.

"The committee will submit a report about ways to hold the two leagues by February 15. Same teams will take part in the Professional League and the Federation Cup which will be played simultaneously from September this year to May 2007," told BFF general secretary Anwarul Hoque Helal after the meeting.

"The Federation Cup will be a tournament like the FA Cup," he said adding that the BFF was also looking forward to continue the National Football League if clubs agreed.

According to the calendar, the first ever National School Football Championship will be held from February-April followed by Girls' School Championship in March-April. The Sher-e-Bangla National Football Championship will make a return after a long gap, in July-August while the BFF will introduce the national Women's Championship at the same time.

The JFA Cup U-16 tournament and the National Youth Championship will be played from October-December.

According to the proposal of AFC, the BFF will have to introduce a City League to support the players of the School League and the tournaments would be launched in Chandpur, not in Narayanganj as it had been earlier decided.

The BFF is looking forward to hosting the AFC Challenge Cup (March 25-April 9) in Dhaka and Chittagong after Nepal's withdrawal as hosts of half of the tournament.

"If we get the MA Aziz Stadium, we will stage two group matches in Chittagong," Helal informed. The AFC event manager for this tournament is due in Dhaka tomorrow to discuss the issues.