Govt has no problem with names of Sk Jamal and Sk Russel: BFF GS

With the withdrawal of sponsors following the recent political turmoil in the country, clubs like Sheikh Jamal DC and Sheikh Russel KC are struggling to form squads for the upcoming football season, with the latter having already informed the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) about their inability to participate in the Bangladesh Premier League.

The interim government, however, has no problem with the names of Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel, two sporting outfits named after two sons of Bagabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and younger brothers of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

"We have come to know from media and players that three clubs – Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russel and Chittagong Abahani – will not participate in the upcoming league. Sheikh Russel officially informed us about it yesterday [Saturday]. In this situation, the players sat with the president [Kazi Salahuddin], who requested the clubs to take part in the league.

"I have informed the Youth and Sports Adviser about the developments, and he said as sponsorship is a matter of clubs, the clubs should manage these things. They [govt] don't have any problem with names of Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel. They [govt} will provide necessary security to the clubs if needed," BFF's general secretary Emran Hossain told reporters yesterday after a meeting with adviser Asif Mahmud at the ministry.