Fed Cup starts on July 31
Exactly one year after conclusion of the inaugural B. League, domestic football returns to the ground with the Federation Cup on July 31.
The professional football league ended on August 1 last year and there had been no top-notch competition in the country since. The B. League committee also announced after its first meeting yesterday that they will launch the second edition of the B. League in August.
There will be no representative from north-Bengal as the league committee rejected Diganta Prasari's appeal to join the professional league. The Rajshahi club, although getting the nod earlier, failed to form a team by June 20 but sought the permission of the federation to register after the transfer deadline.
"We had decided to spread football in other divisions and include clubs from Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal. That's why we accepted Diganta Prasari's appeal," said B. League committee chairman Abdus Salam Murshedi.
"But after talks with them, we feel that they lack knowledge on the professional league and also are not financially solvent to run the show in a big competition," the former national striker said.
Salam, also the senior vice-president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), added that his committee will invite senior division clubs and four services teams -- Army, Navy, Air Force and Police -- beside the 11 B. League clubs for the Federation Cup.
The winners will be rewarded Tk three lakh, the runners-up Tk one lakh and the winners of the Fair Play trophy Tk 50,000.
The format of the curtain-raiser tournament will be finalised after confirmation of the number of teams.
Anwarul Hoque Helal, member of the B. League committee and former BFF general secretary, informed they are considering a second tier for the B. League with 16 teams from next season gradually reduce the top league to eight teams.
He added that one team will be relegated from the B. League this season and Senior Division League champions will be promoted next season.
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