Salahuddin cleared

Kazi Salahuddin (C) along with his lawyer Barrister Tania Amir (R) and the other two defendants Golam Rabbani Helal (L) and Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu (2nd L) enter the BFF Bhaban to attend a hearing yesterday. Photo: STAR

Kazi Salahuddin and his fellow ex-national footballers Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu and Golam Rabbani Helal were cleared yesterday as candidates for the April 28 election of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).
The complaints brought by BFF councillor Shamsul Haque Chowdhury that the three footballers had not filled up their nomination papers properly and tried to hide their conviction under the criminal offence, were dismissed by the election commission last night following a hearing.
Chief election commissioner Mesbahuddin Ahmed said that the 'matter had been settled' earlier.
While replying to a question why the election commission then called a hearing, Mesbah said he wanted to prove his neutrality.
"I called both parties to prove that the election commission is not biased," he said adding that the complaint was submitted well after the deadline of April 15.
Barrister Tania Amir, who was pleading for Salahuddin and his colleagues, told reporters that the complaints were dismissed as they were filed after the deadline.
"If my clients are guilty, why did the government awarded them later? Also, the plaintiff did not submit any papers in support of their complaints," the lawyer said.
Barrister Omar Sadat, who defended Chowdhury, said they did not get justice.
"If it was delayed, why the election commission accept the complaints and served notice to the three BFF councillors?" he questioned.
"How can one complain about one's nomination before its submission?" he added.
Salahuddin, who looked a bit depressed, refused to make any comments. "I never thought I would have to make comments on this."
Salahuddin had told The Daily Star two years back that the 17 days he and Chunnu were incarcerated in the Jessore jail, is still the most painful experience in his life.
It was the same incident that saw their Abahani colleagues Helal and Kazi Anwar also being imprisoned after the then military-ruler found the four players guilty in a one-day trial under the Marshal Law violence following a match against Mohammedan in 1982.
They were, however, freed following the President's mercy.
Meanwhile, the drama was followed by nomination papers withdrawal as the two 'panels' were set for election.
Salahuddin will now lead the panel that features most of the members of the incumbent BFF executive committee, that has 'become enemy of the footballers' by failing to keep the game on the field.
Ex-BFF general secretary Anwarul Haque Helal and veteran vice-president Sirajul Islam Bachchu both sacrificed posts of vice-presidents to make way for 'Forum' leader Golam Rasool Mollah, Manzoor Hossain Malu, Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu and Abdur Rahim. The senior vice-president is Monir Ahmed.
Helal and Bachchu are lined up for members (from Dhaka clubs) along with Mojammel Haque Mukta, Azfaruzzaman Sohrab, MR Shaheen, M Azim Badal, Golam Rabbani Helal and Amirul Islam Babu, a man who is held responsible for Salahuddin's resignation in 2005. The other seven are Forum members Asaduzzaan Khasru, Mokbul Ahmed, Shafiquzzaman, Abul Khair Chandan, Arshad Ali, Shahiduzzaman Shahid and Hakiul Islam.
Maj Gen (retd) Amin Ahmed Chowdhury's panel includes Salam Murshedi as senior vice-president, Badal Roy, Shawkat Al Khan Jahangir, Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Nurul Alam Chowdhury (vice-presidents) and Harunur Rashid, Sheikh Mohammed Aslam, Fazlur Rahman Babul, Abu Hassan Chowdhury, Jinnatul Islam, Satyajit Das Rupu, MA Gafur, Hasanuzzaman Khan Babloo, Abdul Wadud Pintu, Manzur Morshed, Saiful Islam Bhutto, Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Hamidul Haque Bahalul, Khorshed Babul, Towfiqul Islam and Ekramul Karim Chowdhury.
It can be noted that executive committee members cannot vote according to the new constitution but the FIFA and AFC have given the BFF special permission to change their councillors so that the vote of the clubs/DFAs will not go waste, informed a BFF official.