Stay order on probing BFF irregularities over FIFA funding

The High Court (HC) directed the authorities concerned to investigate the allegations of irregularities brought against Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and its officials, including its president Kazi Salahuddin, over the Bangladesh government funding.  

However, the chamber court of the Appellate Division stayed the HC order, ordering a probe into the misappropriation of FIFA funding to BFF till 9 July.

The chamber judge Md Abu Jafar Siddique on Sunday passed the order and set 9 July for the hearing on the petition, filed by BFF senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshidi, at the regular bench of the Appellate Division.  

Earlier on 15 May, the HC issued a rule to probe the irregularities brought against BFF and its officials following a primary hearing over a writ lodged by Supreme Court (SC) lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon. On 22 June, BFF president Kazi Salahuddin and vice president Abdus Salam Murshidi filed a leave-to-appeal seeking the postponement of the order.  

In the hearing, Mohammad Saifullah Mamun, lawyer of Kazi Salahuddin, appealed to the court to withdraw the name of his client. The court granted the plea.   

Regarding the matter, Saifullah Mamun told Prothom Alo that Kazi Salahuddin mistakenly filed the petition. He talked to his lawyer Azmalul Hossain and then decided to withdraw his name from the appeal. Later, a plea to remove the name of Kazi Salahuddin from the petition was lodged on 22 June.  The chamber court removed his name following a writ.    

Later in the hearing, lawyer Mehedy Hasan Chowdhury and Sayeed Abdullah Al Mamun Khan stood for BFF vice president Abdus Salam Murshidi while lawyer Murad Reza for writ petitioner and Kurshid Alam Khan for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). 

Khurshed Alam Khan told Prothom Alo that the chamber court stayed a HC order till 9 July that directed an investigation into the allegations of corruption, money laundering and forgery over the FIFA funding to the BFF. However, the enquiry over the government funding to the country's football federation will continue. There will be no legal bar.

Earlier in May, Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon filed a writ to the HC over seeking investigations into the allegations of irregularities against BFF officials, including its president Kazi Salahuddin, vice president Abdus Salam Murshidi, and general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag. The writ was heard on 15 May and then a rule issued.