Rift over 1971 football heroes resolved

The Bangladesh Football Federation has put an end to the dispute over a list of members of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team (SBFT), ahead of a grand reception for the footballers who drew the world's attention to the suffering of war-torn Bangladesh during its Liberation War in 1971.

Dhaka, Dec 23 (bdnews24.com) – The BFF has put an end to the dispute over a list of members of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team (SBFT), ahead of a grand reception for the footballers who drew the world's attention to the suffering of war-torn Bangladesh during its Liberation War in 1971.

The committee for the finalisation of the list formed by the BFF has added three footballers Abdul Khaleq, Biren Das Biru, Mozzammel Haq and coach Nani Basak and manager Tanvir Mazharul Islam Tanna.

The names were added Tuesday to the existing 31-member list.

The BFF, supported by mobile operator Citycell, will accord a grand reception to the members of the Swadhin Bangla Football Team on Jan 4 next year at the BFF premises.

The dispute arose when the BFF decided to follow a 2003 government notification of a 31-member list that excluded the three players and the two officials.

Later the excluded players produced documents to BFF, seeking inclusion in the list.

"After having scrutinised all relevant documents, we found their claims right and included them along with the coach and the manager," said the committee convenor and BFF member Sirajul Islam Bachchu.

Bachchu quoted Zakaria Pintu, one of the 31, as saying: "I (Pintu) sent the names of the manager and the coach, but the then government officials dropped them from the list."

Of the 36-member new list, four footballers Ali Iman, Mahmudur Rahman, Moniruzzaman Peyara and Sheikh Mansur Ali Lalu and coach Noni Basak died.

bdnews24.com/ar/mt/2210 hours