Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will hold its ninth executive committee meeting in six months on Friday. The meeting, chaired by president Kazi Salahuddin, will take place at 3:30 pm at the BFF house conference room in Motijheel. Among the agenda items are routine matters and discussions about the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). If the committee approves granting councillorship to new organizations, the proposal will be presented at the AGM for a vote.
The BFF held elections in October 2020, and the current four-year committee has only served five months. While vote counting has begun, the 21-member committee is considering increasing the number of voting councilors. The upcoming executive meeting will discuss granting councillorship to clubs participating in the women's football league and women's welfare associations.
Some believe the proposal to expand voting rights before an election benefits specific parties. Critics argue that many women's league clubs are heavily influenced by a powerful BFF member, Mahfuza Akhter Kiran.
If granted voting rights, these clubs would likely favor BFF president Kazi Salauddin. In close elections, securing additional votes can be decisive.
Mahfuza Akhter Kiran, a BFF member, defended the proposal at a women's football committee meeting.
She argued that women's league clubs deserve recognition for their contributions.
Kiran explained that councillorship could encourage greater participation in the federation. The proposal will move from the women's committee to the executive committee, and then potentially to the AGM for a final decision.
Questions have been raised about the timing of the proposal, considering three women's leagues have been held in the past four years and an AGM already took place. Kiran responded that the request originated from the clubs themselves. While a women's football committee meeting discussed councillorship, the official agenda for the upcoming executive meeting, circulated on April 25th, clearly listed it as a topic. This suggests a deliberate move by the federation leadership.
Critics argue that most women's league clubs lack a strong foundation, often playing only a handful of matches annually. Some believe only championship and runner-up teams from the league deserve councillorship.
Others suggest that long-standing amateur clubs like Pioneer, who contribute to football development without financial gain, should also be considered for voting rights.
A few years ago, FIFA questioned the high number of councilors within the BFF.
Discussions were held about reducing councillorship and the size of the executive committee.
While a committee was formed to revise the constitution, no significant changes were implemented. The current push to increase voter turnout before elections appears to contradict those earlier discussions.
Currently, all District-Divisional Football Associations, leagues like the BPL and BCL, First Division clubs, the top ten Second Division clubs, and the top eight Third Division clubs hold voting rights in BFF elections.
These entities also have voting rights in other organizations like the Referees Association, some universities, Education Boards, the Coaches Association, and the Women's Sports Association.
