The BFF has been struggling to find a venue for the October 11 match as both the recognised venues, the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka and MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, are under renovation.

Inspired by the fact that the AFC had staged an international during the AFC Challenge Cup in Dhaka at the Army Stadium in Banani, the BFF proposed it as a possible venue. However, BFF general secretary Anwarul Hoque Helal told yesterday that the AFC has not given its green signal about the stadium, which does not have standard dressing rooms and media facilities.

"They are going to reject our proposal officially. An AFC official told me over phone that they won't approve the Army Stadium," Helal told.

"When I reminded him about the Challenge Cup match, the AFC official said that standard for Asian Cup is higher than that of the Challenge Cup. We have yet to receive the official letter and when we get it, we will propose the Sylhet Stadium because this is the only alternative we have," he said adding that facilities at the Sylhet Stadium, which hosted the recently concluded National Football Championship finals, are satisfactory.

"It might need a little renovation but we hope the AFC would realise our situation. If it does not agree, we will appeal to delay the match for at least three weeks. It has been done for other countries."

The BFF expects that the Bangabandhu Stadium would be ready for football in early November.

The real scene, however, would be clear after the BFF's ground inspection committee's visit to the national stadium today.

The BFF has formed an 11-member committee, which is due to submit its report on availability of the ground to the federation by today as well as giving its recommendation of tentative dates for the transfer and start of the inaugural Professional Football League.

Helal, who is convenor of the committee, said they will inspect the ground this morning and will sit to draw a conclusion about the situation after talks with the officials of National Sports Council, which is looking after the renovation works.

The federation has already cancelled the transfer of the Pro League twice due to uncertainty of the availability of the Bangabandhu Stadium.