Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) last week appointed the Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience of Dhaka University in a bid to get the clearance from FIFA to build a long-awaited BFF Centre of Excellence in Cox's Bazar's Ramu Upazilla.

The department has been asked to make a report including the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) within two months and submit it in April following the instructions from FIFA.

"We have already issued the work order to the Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience of Dhaka University earlier this month (on February 7). The department has been asked to submit a report within two months," BFF general secretary Emran Hossain Tushar told The Daily Star on Tuesday.

"After receiving the assessment report, we will send it to FIFA, who will then analyse it and will take the final decision whether to release their fund for BFF Centre of Excellence project worth US$ 3.6 million or will advise us otherwise," Tushar added, mentioning that if the BFF fails to start the works of the excellence centre by next December, the fund might have to be returned to FIFA.

Meanwhile, two other projects -- reinstallments of two artificial turfs at Kamalapur Stadium and BFF artificial ground, respectively -- have also been approved under the FIFA Forward Programme. If BFF can save funds from these two projects then the board can shift and use it in the Centre of Excellence project in Cox's Bazar.

The excellence centre will feature two football fields -- one artificial turf and one natural grass ground -- a medical centre, and a four-storey dormitory among other facilities.

It took BFF nearly nine months to award the project to a neutral entity after circulating an advertisement in this regard on May 14, 2023.

On July 4, 2022, the Bangladesh government handed over 20-acre land to BFF, with The Daily Star running an article on this particular issue on July 16, 2022, mentioning that the government gave away a part of Jungle Khuniya Palong reserved forest in Cox's Bazar to the BFF, increasing a fresh blow to the fast-depleting forests in the region which is home to critically endangered Asian elephants along with other flora and fauna.

A number of organisations working to improve environmental protection in Bangladesh continued to protest for the cancellation of the project in order to preserve biodiversity, and that prompted FIFA to ask BFF to submit the ESIA report even though there was no such requirement initially.

Two people were killed and at least 12 others injured in a factional clash of the ruling Awami League in Muradnagar Upazila of Comilla tonight.

The deceased were identified as Faruq, 29, and Saidur Rahman, 26, said SM Bodiuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Muradnagar Police Station.

The injured was admitted to Upazila Health Complex, the OC said adding that three persons were arrested in this connection.

The incident occurred around 10:30pm when two conflicting groups, led by Ashraf member and Kabir, locked into a clash in Rahimpur village over establishing supremacy in the area, said Shah Abid Hossain, superintendent of police in Comilla.

However, police took the situation under control, he added.

A young man was shot to death and two others received bullet injuries in a clash between two factions of Awami League (AL) in Charamsura area of Sadar upazila this morning over establishing supremacy.

The deceased was identified as Masud Dhali.

Yunus Ali, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said that there had been a dispute between two Awami League leaders - Apsu, former union parishad chairman of Charkewar union and Jibon, the incumbent chairman of the union.

The clash ensued when the supporters of Apsu attacked the supporters of Jibon in the morning.

The supporters of Apsu opened fire on the supporters of Jibon, leaving Masud dead on the spot and two others injured with bullet wounds.

A man was killed and five others are injured as two factions of local Awami League locked into clashes over establishing supremacy in Mathbaria upazila of Pirojpur today.

The deceased was identified as Liton, 30, our local correspondent reports quoting Khandakar Mustafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mathbaria Police Station.

The supporters of Ashrafur Rahman, chairman of the upazila parishad and Rofiuddin Ahmed Ferdous, mayor of Mathbaria Municipality who is also president of the upazila unit of Awami League, locked into the clash around 5:15pm, superintendent of police Walid Hossain said.

There had been a long standing dispute between the two groups over establishing supremacy in the area and the clash was its outcome, the SP added.

The injured were taken to local clinics and Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital.