The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has announced its election schedule, with elections set for October 26. Chief Election Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Ahmed revealed the details on Monday. This election will fill 21 positions, including one president, one senior vice president, four vice presidents, and 15 members.
Nomination papers will be distributed on October 9, 10, and 11, with submissions due on October 14 and 15. Verification of the nominations will take place on October 16.
Mejbah Uddin Ahmed, who has overseen four terms under Kazi Salahuddin, will serve as the election commissioner for the fifth consecutive time. Despite some criticism regarding his reappointment, Mejbah defended his role, noting that Salahuddin, who has been president for the last four terms, is not running in this election.
Mejbah acknowledged past political influences on candidates but clarified that the Election Commission itself faced no such pressures. He also addressed the demand for an electronic voting system, stating that such a change requires an executive committee decision, not within the Election Commission's purview.
Political pressure in BFF elections is an unwritten matter. The Election Commissioner did not avoid that pressure.
He said, “If there is political pressure, it is for the candidate. There was no pressure on our Election Commission. The Election Commission has no hand in candidature.”
It is midnight before the counting of votes ends in BFF elections. For this reason, the demand for electronic voting system was also raised.
In this context, Mejbah said, “To change a system, the decision of the executive committee is necessary. The Election Commission cannot do this. Electronic systems allow for manipulation.”
The nomination fees remain unchanged from 2016: one lakh taka for president, 75 thousand taka for senior vice president, 50 thousand taka for vice president, and 25 thousand taka for members.
