Clubs want payments resolved before committing to next season

A majority of Bangladesh Premier League clubs have given the initial nod to start the new season, but they first want to settle last season's payment issues with players.

The Professional Football League Committee (PFLC), headed by BFF senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy, sat with the clubs at the BFF House yesterday in line with directives from the executive committee.

All clubs aside from Mohammedan and Brothers Union attended the meeting to give opinions in favour of starting the new season.

"The clubs want to play but the environment has to be created. It is true that all clubs are not ready to play within a few days. The clubs have to prepare for play as the situation is different this time around due to Covid-19," Abahani manager Satyjit Das Rupu said after the meeting.

"There is a pending issue with the players regarding last season's payments. What will happen to players who received more than 80 per cent payment of their contracts last season, which was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic," said Rupu, who is also a member of BFF executive committee, adding that it is very important that the players co-operate with clubs to start the new season.

Clubs were asked to send written opinions about the start of new seasons as well as the payment issue with the players before the next league PFLC meeting, which is likely to take place on August 26 and finalise issues.

It was also decided that they would sit with the representatives of the players by Tuesday and get their opinion on payments. Some players have received the maximum money as stipulated in their contracts while others received nominal payments from clubs as the season was cancelled.

The BFF has already sent a draft plan for next season, with the transfer window scheduled to open in late September and the season starting in November.