Assaulted referee recovering

Golam Morshed Nayan, a referee who was assaulted by a group of officials of Youngmen Fakirerpool Club on Tuesday night, returned to his home in Chittagong yesterday evening after receiving treatment at the Islami Bank Hospital in Shahjahanpur.

The incident took place when Nayan, a FIFA referee who recently officiated in the SAFF U-15 Championship final in Nepal, was returning to Hotel Al Shams in Fakirerpool after standing in the Bangladesh Championship League match between Fakirerpool and Uttar Baridhara. Fakirerpool lost that match by 1-0.

"I was returning to my hotel after officiating the match between Fakirerpool and Uttar Baridhara. The match had ended peacefully and no arguments had taken place," Nayan told The Daily Star over phone last night.

"Suddenly as I was passing the club tent, a group of people led by Fakirerpool club's assistant manager Piklu brutally assaulted me and took away my belongings, including a mobile phone and money. I rushed straight to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) office, and the federation officials then took me to hospital where I received treatment," informed Nayan, adding that he lodged a case with the Motijheel Police Station on Tuesday night against Piklu and his associates.

BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag informed that they had sent a show-cause notice to the Youngmen's Fakierpool club, mentioning Piklu and a few unnamed others, and asking why any action should not be taken against the club in regards to the assault on the referee. A reply within 48 hours is expected.

The reply, along with media reports and other available documents, will be sent to the disciplinary committee for final decision on the matter, Shohag informed.