Fed Cup from Feb 15

The Federation Cup will kick off on February 15, a week after the end of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup international football tournament, decided Bangladesh Professional League Committee (PFLC) at a meeting yesterday.

The season's curtain-raising tournament, which was initially scheduled to start in the third week of December 2014 but was later postponed twice due to the deferral of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup and the players' transfer window, will end by the first week of March, according to the PFLC decision. Eleven clubs of the Premier League will be joined by Bangladesh Championship League outfit Uttar Baridhara Club in the season-opening tournament.

The decision to allow a 7-day window after the end of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup has been made to facilitate Sheikh Russel KC's participation in the play-off stages of the AFC Cup, informed PFLC chairman Abdus Salam Murshedy. The former Bangladesh Premier League champions will play away to Tajikistan outfit FC Khayr on February 10 and will also be away to Lebanese side Salam Zgharta on February 17, subject to their victory over the Tajik side.

The meeting also decided to start the Bangladesh Premier League from March 15. The eighth edition will of the top-tier professional league be held on home and away basis in two legs, informed Murshedy. The Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong and the Gopalganj Sheikh Moni Stadium have been confirmed as three venues while three other venues are under consideration for approval, added Murshedy.