AFC Asks BFF to Hold EGM

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) yesterday asked the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to conduct an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) to approve the FIFA statutes, confirmed a source from Kuala Lumpur on the condition of anonymity.

The AFC is expected to send an official letter in this regard to the BFF soon.

A four-member Bangladesh delegation had a meeting with AFC president Mohammad Bin Hammam at his office at the Malaysian capital.

The trip of the Bangladeshi officials and organisers to convince the Asian football body of the importance of government involvement to run the game in the country, however, was futile.

The Bangladesh delegation included inactive Bangladesh Football Federation president SA Sultan, Bangladesh Olympic Association's chief operating officer Col (retd) M Waliullah, former national football captain Badal Roy and organiser Mohiuddin Bulbul.

It was also learned that the delegation did not try to ask the FIFA or AFC's favours to go into the election with the previous constitution in a bid to avoid legal threats, an idea made public by Sultan following his meeting with the organisers outside the federation.

The organisers outside the BFF had long been demanding a general meeting to ratify the FIFA statutes to avoid legal threats as well as inclusion of the government, which owns all the stadiums and other facilities.

The incumbent BFF executive committee has been given a year's time after its expiry on April 30, 2007 to implement the FIFA statutes and form FAs (football association) in districts and divisions.

The BFF, however, kept ignoring pleas to hold a general meeting and approve the amendments for more than nine months.

Out of 64 districts and six divisions, only 51 FAs at districts and three at divisions have been formed before the February 10 deadline.

The BFF has yet to finalise the date of the election.