Nat'l players can play domestic hockey

Bangladesh Hockey Federa-tion (BHF) yesterday decided in principle to allow the national players to play in domestic competitions in the face of constant demand from the clubs.
The meeting has also decided in principle to permit those players who have been in the national camp to play in the domestic competition until December 31, subject to the willingness of the individual, said a BHF member after the meeting at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium.
The national players are scheduled to return home early November after finishing their commitments in the German Hockey League and some friendly matches against Holland and Scotland.
Head coach Gerhard Peter Rach had earlier asked the federation to make all the players available for the national camp for the South Asian (SA) Games from January next year. The SA Games are scheduled to be held here in Dhaka over January 29-February 9, and the BHF meeting only agreed to release the national players up to December.
The BHF member also informed that a special transfers window would be opened for the national players as the ongoing inter-club players transfers were scheduled to close on October 31 though giants Abahani, Mohammedan, Mariner Youngs Club have yet to sign any player. Last year's Club Cup runners-up Sonali Bank competed their players' registration formalities while league champions Usha KC roped in only a couple of players.
Season's curtain-raising tournament, the Club Cup, is scheduled to start on October 20 while the starting date of the Premier Division League will be finalised through the league committee meeting later.