The recent physical assault on match commissioner Sujit Banerjee by Saad Uddin during a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match between Bashundhara Kings and Abahani has put focus on Bangladesh Football Federation's (BFF) reluctance to enforce disciplinary measures in top-tier football.

The high-stakes fixture at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Friday also saw an Abahani player assaulted by Kings' fans, following altercations involving players and officials both on and off the field. These incidents, though severe, are not isolated.

Throughout the current football season which only has 24 days remaining, matches involving major clubs such as Kings, Abahani, and Mohammedan have been marred by repeated episodes of unsporting behaviour. Despite this, the BFF has not taken significant disciplinary action, prompting concerns among stakeholders about the federation's seriousness in maintaining order.

The ongoing issues began early in the season. During November's one-off Challenge Cup between Kings and Mohammedan at the Kings Arena, the home fans threw smoke flares onto the pitch, halting play, with the match eventually won by the home side. The management of Mohammedan, who were leading 1-0 before the smoke flare incident, later wrote to BFF, refusing to play at the Kings' ground until fan security was ensured. However, they were forced to return there for a league fixture last month, during which their supporters again faced hostility from the home fans.

Another high-voltage clash between Mohammedan and Abahani in Cumilla witnessed a scuffle in the gallery, briefly halting the match. A Mohammedan supporter even chased a Bangladesh Police player after an on-field dispute involving Mohammedan's Nigerian forward Emmanuel Sunday.

Despite multiple reports being submitted by referees and match commissioners after such incidents, the BFF's disciplinary committee has yet to act. This passivity contrasts sharply with past seasons, when players and officials were penalised for even minor infractions, including verbal abuse of referees.

The home fans also assaulted a couple of Abahani players after the match on Friday. Photo: Star

A member of the disciplinary committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed they had not received any documentation from the competition department, making it impossible to proceed. Alarmingly, the member admitted to being unaware of the full composition of the current committee, which was restructured in February to include five members, led by former secretary Mejbahuddin Ahmed.

One senior referee lamented the growing trend of impunity: "After a recent match outside Dhaka, referees were harassed in front of club officials. We reported it, but no action has been taken. This encourages repeat offenses."

However, there may be movement soon. BFF executive member and Professional League Management Committee's deputy chairman Zakir Hossain Chowdhury told The Daily Star: "Both the referee and the match commissioner had submitted reports on the recent Kings-Abahani incident. He confirmed meeting with the competition department and expects the reports to reach the disciplinary committee by Monday, with a decision likely before the next match day."

Chowdhury also noted that the league committee would meet soon to address the worsening disciplinary climate.

Unless BFF takes swift and firm action, repeated violations risk undermining the integrity of domestic football.