Hope of a strong board in MSC’s April 18 polls
The long-awaited elections of Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd will be held on April 18 with the hope of electing board of directors, which is expected to revive the past glory of the country's traditional outfit.
The elections are going to be held after nine years, with the first and only one so far taking place in 2011 when the club turned into a limited company.
A group of former Mohammedan players, organisers and well-wishers came forward to help the club to form football and cricket teams following the detention of its director-in-charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan in September last year in connection with illegal casino business at the club hall-room.
Bhuiyan, who joined the club as special general secretary in 1994, strengthened his grip following a one-sided election in 2011 before being made director-in-charge of a 17-member board of directors. He controlled the club single-handedly over the last nine years, a timeline when the club failed to win prestigious title of the professional football league and the Dhaka premier division cricket league with the exception of sporadic success in different football tournaments such as Federation Cup, Super Cup and Independence Cup.
With Supreme Court Bar association president AM Aminuddin appointed as the independent president by a High Court bench, which passed the order last August following an appeal filed two-and-a-half years earlier, the board of directors on March 15 paved the way to holding its annual general meeting and the elections by forming a 11-member election commission, with advocate Rezaul Karim Kawser made the chief election commissioner.
In the changed scenario, former players and organisers are looking forward to electing a strong board of directors which will reflect the expectation of its large number of supporters across the country.
"We want a committee with those who stood by the club during turmoil and who have financial solvency to help Mohammedan in future. We want those organisers who can meet the expectation of our large number of supporters," said former Mohammedan player Badal Roy, who is playing an important role during this transition.
"I still believe we can bring back the past glory of Mohammedan. It is needless to say that the country's sports will progress if Mohammedan is revived again," said Roy, who is also a vice-president of Bangladesh Football Federation.
However, it may not prove to be an easy task for Roy to elect a strong board of directors as he may face challenge from the permanent Mohammedan members, who are loyal to Bhuiyan.
The club's former additional general secretary Mustaqur Rahman is thinking of a consensus panel if the Bhuiyan followers create any noise.
"We will soon sit to discuss about the probable directors after getting the list of voters. The club was in deep crisis a few months ago, and now we are looking to elect a strong board of directors with the combination of financially solvent organisers and experienced ones as a good environment is prevailing at the moment," said Rahman, who was also out of the club since the 2011 polls.
However, incumbent director Sarwar Hossain said, "There is no possibility of a consensus committee because there is no scope for bowing down to any pressure. Anyone can contest in the elections with the delegates casting their votes freely."
During the transformation into limited company, Mohammedan had 213 permanent members and the current board of directors later gave 131 more memberships.
The election commission is expected to reveal the voters list in line with the names provided by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms.
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