Footballers Revise SAFF Quota Proposal

On 15 April, footballers submitted a letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) demanding the abolition of the SAFF quota, alongside six other proposals. Following discussions held today with BFF members Amirul Islam and Shakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan, the players have withdrawn from their earlier position regarding the SAFF quota and instead presented two revised proposals.

Under the current system in the Bangladesh Football League, five players from SAFF member countries are allowed to play as “local players”. In addition, clubs may register up to three foreign players under the existing foreign quota arrangement.

Footballers had initially raised concerns over the SAFF quota system, arguing that allowing five SAFF players to be registered as local players reduces opportunities for genuine domestic footballers. Clubs, however, have maintained that the arrangement allows them to recruit players from other South Asian countries at comparatively lower wages than local players, thereby reducing overall squad costs.

A meeting was held at the BFF House, where the footballers’ representatives revised their stance and proposed a new structure. Under the revised proposal, each team would be allowed two SAFF quota players and two foreign players. The delegation was led by former national team captain Mamunul Islam.

After the meeting, Mamunul Islam stated that he was not in Dhaka when the previous letter was submitted. He emphasised that the revised proposal seeks to balance the interests of both clubs and players. He further added that the intention is to ensure fair opportunities for local players while also considering the operational needs of clubs. According to him, the proposal has been submitted for the federation’s consideration.

Mamunul also noted that, under SAFF arrangements, players from the region are eligible to play in other member countries as local players. He added that regional relations among SAARC countries were also taken into consideration while formulating the proposal.

Previously, the footballers had submitted their demands to the BFF president on the letterhead of a players’ welfare association. However, the revised proposal was submitted on plain paper and signed by a total of 20 footballers. Among those present at the meeting were Mehdi Mithu of Mohammedan, Ibrahim of Abahani, Mitul Marma, and Mahmudul Hasan of Rahmatganj.

The BFF Media Committee Chairman Amirul Islam stated that 25 players had been invited to the meeting, of whom 22 attended. He described the discussion as constructive and noted that the players’ position appeared more balanced than before. He added that the matter would be forwarded to the BFF president and subsequently placed before the next executive committee meeting for a final decision.

Comparison of Current System and Proposal

The proposal is now awaiting further review within the federation’s decision-making framework, where it will be assessed alongside existing regulations and stakeholder considerations.