Revamped Brothers eye promotion to BPL

Brothers Union are set to return to the football arena following a one-year hiatus after forming a strong squad ahead of the upcoming second-tier Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) with hopes of gaining promotion back to the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Brothers Union, once the third-most dominant force in Bangladesh football behind Abahani and Mohammedan, were relegated from the Bangladesh Premier League for the first time in the 2019-20 season after 45 years of top-flight football.

The club then stayed away from football for one season after failing to get approval from the Bangladesh Football Federation to remain in the top flight.

However, after being denied entry to the top flight again, the Gopibagh outfit finally realised they would have to fight for their existence by playing in the BCL and hopefully gaining promotion.

"We stayed away from footballing activities last season after being relegated from the BPL 2019-20. We tried to stay in the BPL, but we could not do it," Brothers Union's director in charge Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi told The Daily Star on Wednesday.

"We appealed again to the Bangladesh Football Federation to allow us to play the BPL directly this time as well, but we were again refused on legal grounds. So the management has decided to play in the second-tier league. Even some of the world's top club like Chelsea FC have faced situations like this and returned to the top flight," Mohi said, adding that they had formed a strong team.

"There is a financial aspect to forming a strong team, but we really want to return to our glory days. We are looking forward to returning to the BPL by becoming champions of the BCL. We think we are headed in the right direction," said Mahi, who is also vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation.

Successful local coach Zahidur Rahman Milon has been given the responsibility to coach Brothers Union for the 12-team Bangladesh Championship League, which is scheduled to get underway in the third week of December.

"With our eyes on the title, Brothers Union have formed a strong squad with players that have experience playing in the Bangladesh Premier League," the AFC-A licensed coach, who guided Fortis FC to the Bangladesh Championship League title last season.

"We have roped in more than 10 players from champions Fortis FC and runners-up Azampur FC Uttara apart from some experienced players who once played for Brothers Union during their Bangladesh Premier League campaigns," Milon said, adding that a big advantage was a bench as strong as the main eleven.

After the transfer window closed on October 31, Brothers Union started making plans to start training from November 15.