Dhaka teams bag the elite

Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday disclosed the name of the eight teams to take part in the Nitol-Tata National Football League. The inaugural national league is likely to start from the fourth week of January.

Three teams from Dhaka City -- Mohammedan Sporting Club, Abahani Krira Chakra and Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra -- who were nominated earlier, have already deposited their list of players. The five divisional teams have a deadline of January 5 to submit their lists.

The divisional teams are: Netrokona Mohammedan Sporting Club, Chittagong Abahani Krira Chakra, Rajshahi Abahani Krira Chakra, Khulna Abahani Krira Chakra and Sylhet Chaturanga Jubo Sangha.

Although the federation announced earlier that teams from Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna Divisions would get direct entry, and that the winners of a playoff between teams from Sylhet and Barisal would be the fifth side in the format, the Sylhet side were also given direct entry after Barisal refused to take part in the playoff.

Among the three Dhaka-based clubs, Premier Division League Champions Mohammedan deposited highest 21 names while Abahani and Muktijoddha Sangsad named 15 and 18 footballers respectively in their team lists.

Mohammedan have included three booters -- Belaluddin, Parvez Babu and Bidyut -- from other teams in addition to their side that played in the Premier League last year.

Abahani also added three to their league team, including Nigerian defender Adeyal Fattai, who played for Badda Jagarani in the Premier Division. Their two new local collections are Shahajuddin Tipu from Rahmatganj and Firoz Mahfuz Hossain Tito from Arambagh.

Ghanaian forward Kennedy, who played a couple of matches for Abahani in the league last year, has also been named in the side.

Each team is allowed to register four foreign players for the league from which three could be fielded in a match.

Muktijoddha Sangsad have also included three new local booters. They are national and Farashganj defender Kazi Nazrul Islam, Arambagh forward Mujibur Rahman Ritu and Badda Jagarani striker Saiful Islam Khokon.

The three Dhaka teams:

Mohammedan SC: Mohammad Ponir, Nizam Majumder, Rezaul Hakim, Faisal Ahmed, Rezaul Karim, Jahangir Patwari, Ruhul Amin, Shahjada, Kamruzzaman Selim, Motiur Rahman Munna, Rakib Hossain, Rashidul Hasan Shamim, Anwar Hossain, Mizanur Rahman Dawn, Abdullah Al-Mujahid Shoeb, Alfaz Ahmed, Belal Hossain, Bidyut, Parvez Babu and Askar Babu.

Abahani KC: Kennedy, Adeyal Fattai, Firoz Mahfuz Hossain Titu, Shahajuddin Tipu, Zulfiqar Mahmud Mintu, Iqbal Hossain, Arman Mia, Zakir Hossain, Abdul Quayum Sentu, Dulal Chandra Shah, Kingshuk Chakma, Partho Protim Kundu, Mustafizur Rahman Munna, Arifur Rahman Pannu and Aminul Haque.

Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra: Jewel Rana, Masood Rana, Rajani Kanta Barman, Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib, Rezaul Karim Liton, Biplab Bhattacharjee, Mansoor Ali, Mamun Joarder, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Arif Khan Joy, Bakhtiar Uddin, Saiful Bari Tito, Majedur Rahman Tushar, Prodeep Barua, Arun Kumar Dewan, Hasan Al-Mamun, Mujibur Rahman Ritu and Saiful Islam Khokon.