Footballers Propose Revised Quota System

On 15 April, footballers submitted a letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), setting out six demands, including the abolition of the SAFF quota. However, following discussions today with BFF members Amirul Islam and Shakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan at the federation headquarters, the players have withdrawn their earlier position on the SAFF quota and instead presented two new proposals.

Under the current Bangladesh Premier League regulations, five players from SAFF member nations are permitted to play as “local players”. In addition, clubs are allowed to field three foreign players under the overseas quota. This arrangement has been in place for the current season.

The earlier objection raised by the footballers was based on the argument that treating five SAFF players as local reduces opportunities for domestic footballers. In contrast, clubs have maintained that SAFF players are often more cost-effective than domestic professionals, making the arrangement financially beneficial.

At today’s meeting held at the BFF House, the players’ delegation revised its stance and proposed a new structure. They suggested that each team should be allowed two SAFF quota players and two foreign players. The delegation was led by former national team captain Mamunul Islam.

After the meeting, Mamunul Islam stated that he was not in Dhaka when the previous letter was submitted and that the matter should be viewed in a balanced manner. He added that the revised proposal aims to safeguard the interests of both clubs and players. According to him, the objective is to ensure that both domestic and club interests are preserved.

He also noted that, under SAFF arrangements, players from the region are permitted to play as local players in each other’s domestic leagues. He further mentioned that regional relations among SAARC countries had been considered in framing the proposal.

Previously, the footballers had submitted their demands to the BFF president through the Players Welfare Association letterhead. The revised proposal, however, was submitted on plain paper and was signed by 20 footballers. Among those present at the meeting were Mehedi Mithu of Mohammedan, Ibrahim of Abahani, Mitul Marma, and Mahmudul Hasan of Rahmatganj.

The BFF Media Committee Chairman Amirul Islam stated that 25 players had been invited to the meeting, of whom 22 attended. He described the discussion as constructive and said the players’ position had become more flexible. He confirmed that the matter would be reported to the BFF president and subsequently placed before the next executive committee meeting for a final decision.

The current and proposed quota structure is outlined below:

The revised proposal reflects a shift from an abolition demand to a reduced quota framework, with further decisions expected following review by the federation’s executive committee.