BFF’s first year under Tabith: Achievements vs pending issues

The Tabith Awal-led executive committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) completed its first year on Sunday since being elected on October 26, 2024. The committee, chaired by president Tabith, convened its 5th meeting at the BFF House yesterday to review its achievements and ongoing agenda, including reforms to the BFF constitution, the election policy, income-and-expenditure comparisons with Singapore, Asian Cup qualifier affairs, and revisions to the U-15 tournament bylaws. "We have spent one year successfully," said BFF Media Committee Chairman Amirul Islam Babu. "The media's support has helped highlight our record number of tournaments over the last 12 months." The meeting focused primarily on constitutional and policy reforms, leaving little time to discuss initiatives that could not yet be implemented.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN YEAR ONE:

**Lifted FIFA's financial restriction on BFF

**Secured sponsors for the national team and kits

**Won the SAFF Women's Championship

**Received AFC President's Recognition Bronze Award for grassroots development

**Tabith Awal and Mahfuza Akter Kiron secured positions in FIFA committees

**Introduced expatriate footballers to senior and U-23 teams

**Organized coaching and FIFA talent development courses

**Reinstalled two FIFA-funded artificial turfs

**Boosted engagement on BFF social media

**Conducted U-14, U-15, beach, and indigenous football tournaments

OTHER NOTABLE INITIATIVES:

**Entered international futsal and eFootball competitions

**Provided overseas training for senior, U-23, U-15, and U-17 teams

**Renewed contracts for women footballers

**Secured maiden berths for women's senior and U-20 teams in Asian Cup

PENDING ISSUES FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION:

**Dhaka lower-division and district football leagues not yet rolled out

**Women's football league still pending

**Promised Tk 1.5 crore for senior women's team not disbursed

**Alleged betting, match-fixing, and manipulation cases unresolved

**Senior national team FIFA ranking stagnant (183 → 185, Oct 2024)

**Partial formation of BFF standing and ad-hoc committees

**BFF constitution still unreformed

**Playground and infrastructure crisis remains unsolved