DHAKA – In a dramatic turn of events in domestic football, Bashundhara Kings have pulled out of the upcoming Federation Cup final against Mohammedan Sporting Club. In an official letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), the club requested that the match be canceled and the championship trophy be awarded directly to their opponents.
The letter was delivered to the BFF General Secretary on Tuesday while the federation’s executive committee was holding an emergency meeting to resolve a venues deadlock.
Escalating Venue Dispute
The crisis stems from Mohammedan Sporting Club’s refusal to play the final at the Kings Arena, citing security concerns in a letter sent five days ago. The BFF’s delayed response to the matter—only initiating formal discussions on Monday afternoon—sparked intense frustration within the Bashundhara Kings management.
Despite BFF President Tabith Awal assuring both clubs that a resolution would be reached by Monday night, uncertainty persisted right up until the day of the scheduled match, prompting the emergency committee meeting.
Kings Cite Disrespect to the Sport
Signed by Club General Secretary Bidyut Kumar Bhowmik, the Kings’ letter criticized the BFF’s handling of the situation, calling the ongoing uncertainty “embarrassing” and detrimental to the progress of Bangladeshi football.
The club highlighted their own willingness to cooperate in the past, noting that they had played multiple matches this season at Mohammedan’s home venue—the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla—despite inadequate facilities and security arrangements, solely to support the federation.
“As a club, we have always valued respect over trophies. Under the current circumstances, we feel that respect has been compromised,” the letter stated, explaining their decision to forfeit.
BFF Maintains Match Schedule
Despite Bashundhara Kings’ letter requesting the cancellation of the fixture, the BFF has formally announced that the Federation Cup final will proceed as originally scheduled on Wednesday at the Kings Arena. It remains to be seen how the federation will handle the Kings’ stated refusal to take the field.
