The 8th of this month was the last election date. But the polls were suspended by the election commission on April 5 due to a High Court ruling over the final voter list, just three days before the election date.
It seemed there was no quick possibility of the elections. The dubious circumstance had been procreated while Shishu Kishore Sangha secretary Md Sikandar Hayat Chowdhury challenged the final voter list. Therefore, the Election Commission suspended the polls and had been waiting for the High Court certificate.
Finally, they received the HC order over the final voter list, and now going to execute the elections. As per as HC order, total 83 voters excluding Taraque Ahmed Adil will elect the new Hockey Executive committee. The election commissioner and director (Sports) of National Sports Council (NSC) Shah Alam Sarder informed, “We have received High Court Order. We will now conduct elections.”
The election commission announced the fresh polls schedule last Thursday. According to the new schedule, candidates who submitted nomination papers earlier for the April 8 election can withdrawal candidature on April 16 (10 am to 4 pm) and the final list of candidates will be published at 4 pm on April 18. The election will be held on April 29 (10 am to 4 pm).
The term of the last executive committee ended on July 31, 2017. It was the second time while the National Sports Council had postponed the election date after August 21 of the same year. That time, NSC postponed the polls excusing the flood in country’s northern region.
In the meantime, the federation will be run by the previous ad-hoc committee, which was formed by NSC after several months on January 11, 2018. However, total fifty-eight of eighty-four councillors submitted their nominations for 28 posts including five vice presidents, one general secretary, two joint secretaries, a treasurer and nineteen members on March 31. The BHF election heated up while two panels submitted their nominations. The situation became a bit hotter while the two rival panels started to blame each other for breaching rules.
Abdus Sadeque, who is general secretary of the present ad-hoc committee and one of the directors of Abahani Ltd., is leading one of two panels in the election while another is led by Mohammedan SC councilor and Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club hockey committee chairman AKM Mominul Haque Sayeed.
Sadeque, earlier emphasized that the polls will be held by this month and they will win elections. “Hopefully the polls will be held by this month and we will move with as per as the EC’s orders. We hope we will win,” said Sadeque.
While Sadeque is expecting victory, another panel led-by Sayeed is urging for a fair election. One of the spokesmen of that panel Badrul Islam Dipu said, “They [Sadeque-led-panel] try to influence the elections. They are trying to pressurize our councillors.”
While asking any possibility of boycotting polls, Dipu replied, “There is no chance of boycotting. And we hope we will win by overcoming all of these pressures.”
It has been proved how internal conflict and political influence in the federation annihilate sports. Only a recognized elected governing body, outside of political influence, can revitalize the game.
Earlier, the previous election in 2013 had created a bad impression while five premier league clubs including Mohammedan Sporting Club and Mariner Youngs Club boycotted Khaza Rahmatullah’s elected committee. However, the turmoil finally ended after two-and-a-half years while some top posts had been reshuffled.