The newly elected committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) faced numerous challenges, including FIFA’s financial sanctions. However, six months after the election, many issues have been resolved, and the excitement surrounding football has attracted new sponsors. In an interview with Samakal, BFF Vice President and Chairman of the Development Committee, Naser Shariar Zahedi, discussed various aspects of the country’s football landscape. The interview was conducted by Sakhawat Hossain Joy.
An internal audit committee led by Wahid Uddin Chowdhury Happy is currently investigating the financial discrepancies. While many individuals and entities have outstanding payments from the federation, the federation is also owed money by several sponsors and vendors—some of whom have not completed their financial settlements. “Once the audit is completed thoroughly, we will take the necessary actions,” said Zahedi.
On the development side, the committee is focusing on several key areas. One of the main goals is to strengthen youth football, with a particular emphasis on school-level competitions—something the government also supports. “We’re planning to organize school football tournaments at the upazila and district levels. If we can launch this effectively, it will inspire students and young players across the country,” he noted.
Recently, more than 200 football academies have been registered with the federation, and 17 of them have been awarded “double star” ratings for their superior facilities and performance. “Our aim is to support these academies at the district and upazila levels. If we can carry out this initiative properly, we’ll start to see visible improvements in football within six months to a year.”
Regarding the issue of age fraud, Zahedi stressed that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. “We’ve discussed this within both the executive and development committees. To address it, we are forming a competent medical team that will scientifically determine players’ ages. We will strictly enforce their findings.”
He also addressed concerns related to communication gaps in the under-19 team. “There was no lack of communication. We reached out to clubs well in advance. Two players from BKSP had exams, and although Bashundhara Kings initially agreed to release two players, they later didn’t. This points to a need for a clear policy and regulations governing the relationship between clubs and national teams—whether it’s age-level or the senior team. Both sides should know their responsibilities. I believe the club officials are committed to the national interest and the country’s pride, but I have noticed some shortfalls in this commitment. I’m hopeful that going forward, clubs will be more cooperative and aligned with national interests.”
