BFF vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedi (M) takes help from Citycell's DGM marketing and communications Syed Tanzin Huq (L) and singer Shuvra Deb to cut a cake after unveiling the logo of the second B. League at a local hotel yesterday.Photo: STAR

All five first round matches of the Citycell B. League will be played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) confirmed yesterday in a simple function at a local hotel where the logo of the professional league's second edition was unveiled.
B. League chairman and BFF senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedi cut a cake on the occasion while other officials of BFF and its sponsor Citycell were also present.
Abahani start defence of their title against last year's bottom-table Rahmatganj in Saturday's opener while runners-up Mohammedan will be pitted against visiting Chittagong Abahani on the next day.
The decision to hold the first round games in Dhaka could well act as a circuit breaker in a bid to stop foul play towards the end.
According to the fixture, three of the last year's top five teams have matches in Khulna and Chittagong while the remaining two stay in Dhaka.
This will help the BFF -- which has three venues to use -- to put the three title contenders, considering there won't be more teams in the race by that time, at separate venues on the same day and arrange same time kick-offs.
The BFF also keeps the rights to reschedule matches n a bid to stop fixed matches.
Having maintained the traditional system for the first round fixture, BFF also introduced a new method for the rest of the rounds, guided by the Asian Football Confederation format.
However, officials of Abahani, Brothers Union and Sheikh Russel questioned the fixture, saying that it was done to favour one team.
"Mohammedan get their big matches from as early as the third round. It would give them the advantage of playing lesser teams in the latter part. This would be a big advantage for any title contenders," mentioned the three clubs officials in unison.
"We are not accustomed to this format and we should have been told earlier. They are saying that it has been done according to the AFC format but when we wanted to see, no one could show us anything on paper," the trio added.
"The AFC had given a guideline for fixture for the first B. League and to follow it again, a draw is a must. But the BFF hasn't done this although it had enough time. That is why we are worried about unfair play."
BFF's B. League manager Abu Nayeem Sohag, later informed that he and his associates had to use the traditional system for the first round but followed the AFC format for the rest. "It is a mixture of the old and new formats," Sohag added.
Matches during the Ramadan will start at 3.30pm. On completion of the third round ties on September 7, the league goes into a brief vacation for the Eidul Fitr.
The league is expected to resume on October 5 or 6.
Partial Fixtures
Sep 13: Abahani v Rahmatganj at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 14: Mohammedan v Chittagong Abahani at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 15: Muktijoddha v Khulna Abahani at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 16: Sheikh Russel v Farashganj at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 17: Brothers v Chittagong Mohammedan at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 18: Arambagh v Mohammedan at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 19: Farashganj v Abahani at BNS (3.30pm)
Sep 20: Chittagong Abahani v Muktijoddha at MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong (3.30pm)
Sep 21: Chittagong Mohammedan v Sheikh Russel at MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong (3.30pm)
Sep 22: Khulna Abahani v Brothers at Khulna Stadium (3.30pm)