Mohammedan ask for another deferral

Mohammedan Sporting Club on Sunday asked the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) league committee to defer the upcoming inter-club players' transfers for the Premier Hockey League for at least 25 days, citing accommodation issues at the club tent.

This is the fourth time the request has been made, following failed attempts to convince the committee from Usha KC, Wari Club and Bangladesh Sporting Club.

On February 1, all the premier league clubs unanimously agreed to participate in the transfers on March 27-29, after the national team returns from the Asian Games Qualifiers. However, the BHF executive committee's initial decision was to hold the transfers on February 20-24, before the team's departure for Oman.

“We have had problems with accommodating the players in the club tent because Mohammedan are now taking part in the Premier Cricket League and our youth football team have been in training for the Youth Championship.

“Besides, the Mohammedan hockey committee has not been formed yet, so we need time to arrange the money. That's why we asked them to defer the transfers' till April 20 but we did not tell them that we will not take part in the league,” said Mohammedan's hockey manager Ariful Islam Prince.  

And though the federation does not seem to have taken the issue positively, it does apparently want to discuss the matter at a meeting soon.

“I have learnt that Mohammedan sent a letter requesting a deferral of the transfers. I think we should stick to the previous decision as that decision was taken with consent from all the clubs. If we accept their proposal, then they will again raise the issue of Ramadan. Plus, they will have no time [to hold the transfers] after Ramadan because the national team's camp will start by then for Augusts' Asian Games,” said BHF general secretary Abdus Sadeque.

Usha KC, Wari Club and Bangladesh Sporting Club previously asked the federation to delay the transfers by two more months but the BHF replied that the transfers will take place as scheduled on March 27-29.

Raising the question on Mohammedan's plea, BHF joint secretary Ehsan Rana added: “Mohammedan used the same reasons before when they had the transfers deferred for nearly two months and fixed the current transfer date. What have they done in the last two months? Abahani are also simultaneously playing both cricket and football at the moment but they did not mention any accommodation problems for the hockey team.”

Rana also hinted that the BHF is determined to hold the transfers at the agreed time, with whichever participating teams agree to take part.