Majority of Mohammedan hockey players leave camp over payment issue

The majority of local players of Mohammedan Sporting Club left the club tent due to unpaid wages on Wednesday, shortly after securing a hard-fought 4-3 victory against Bangladesh Police Sporting Club in a Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League fixture at Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium.

Mohammedan are in the title race with 19 points from seven matches, two more than leaders Abahani. The two are set for a face-off in the league's crucial encounter on March 30.

"Players who remain in the club tent just informed me that they have left the club [camp] because the club did not keep their promises to clear their payments despite several requests," captain Rasel Mahmud Jimmy told The Daily Star from his residence in Old Dhaka.

"The club so far cleared some 50 to 60 percent payments, as per the contract, during the signing in early February. But since then the club have not paid anymore, despite the fact that they promised to clear the payment from the start of the league, whereas seven matches have already been completed and only five matches remain, but no one is paying attention to the players' requests," said the national forward, adding that it has always been tough to get paid from the club after the league is over.

Only three of 14 local players remain in the club tent, while five foreign players stay at the hotel.

Coach Shidullah Titu expressed disappointment with the players' departure from the camp, but he believes they did the right thing, especially after having returned to play in the domestic league following a nearly three-year hiatus.

"It is really sad. The fact is that no Mohammedan SC official, other than manager Ariful Haque Prince, takes care of the team," Titu continued.

"I believe the athletes did the correct thing in their respective positions because they play for money, which has been partially paid to them."

Titu, however, is concerned about his team's preparation for the upcoming encounter against title challengers Abahani.

"I don't know if the players will return to the camp because it is the club management's responsibility to handle the situation, but we may have trouble playing against Abahani if the players can't join the practice ahead of the Abahnai match," Titu said, adding that Malaysian coach Iman Gopinathan Krishnamurti, who arrived on Wednesday to watch the Mohammedan and Police match, was supposed to prepare Mohammedan for the match against Abahani in the next two days.

The former national player also stated that foreign players have not yet been paid, although they have continued to play for the club.

One of the players seeking anonymity stated that the unpaid salaries are expected to be between Tk 20 to 25 lakh, which is the amount received by a Mohammedan football player in the current season.