Roy, Manik promise long-term planning

Bangladesh Football Federation presidential candidates Badal Roy and Shafiqul Islam Manik promised proper long-term plans that would revitalise Bangladesh football after submitting nominations for the October 3 polls at the BFF House yesterday.

Roy, the incumbent BFF vice-president, and former national coach Manik said that the sorry state of Bangladesh football had prompted them to contest the elections. They will offer a challenge to incumbent BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, who has been at the helm of the game's local governing body for the past 12 years and is going to contest for another term under banner of Samilito Parishad, which has submitted nominations for all 21 posts.

"Everyone wants a change in football leadership and if leadership is changed, there is no chance it will be worse than what Kazi Salahuddin has made it. He took Bangladesh from 140 to 197 in the FIFA rankings," said Roy. "I am contesting to save football and my main inspiration is that every organiser at the grassroots level has turned into a Baday Roy and they will cast votes in my favour. We need a proper plan to develop football and I want to make a good plan with the grassroots in focus. So if there is a good plan, we will walk towards it."

Roy maintained that his "physical condition was not a problem" but lamented that the polls were being held during the pandemic.

"I think the elections should be deferred by a year. Holding the elections in such a situation is to put many lives at the risk of death. I myself am still recovering from post-Covid-19 problems. I can't even talk smoothly."

Manik, also a former Ducsu sports organiser, said: "The works being done for the development of football is unsatisfactory and the way they have been working also does not seem like the right way to me. Those who have been working in football for the past 12, including Badal Roy and Kazi Salahuddin, are failures.

"That's why I feel that I am a capable one to serve football. I had before worked for myself by coaching the national team and club teams but now I am thinking of delivering for the nation and the BFF president's post is the perfect platform."

"If I am elected BFF president, I want to prepare a long-term masterplan collectively. I also want to revive country-wide national tournaments, which were once popular among spectators, as well as focus on age-group development through clubs," said Manik, who urged candidates to refrain from dragging councillors into unethical practices.

All 49 candidates -- three for president, two for senior vice-president, eight for vice-president and 36 for 15 members -- submitted nominations yesterday.