Despite little engagement at national and international stage last year and lower division competitions and youth development remaining irregular, the Bangladesh Football Federation's administrative expenditure increased 30 percent in the last fiscal.

Total administrative expenditure in 2019 rose from Tk 7.79 crore to Tk 11.79 crore, making up 33 percent of BFF's total expenditure. Yet the BFF is reluctant to clear Tk 4.2 crore that it owes to clubs in form of prize money and participation money over 2009-2019 period, according to an external audit report which was approved by the BFF executive meeting on August 11.

"Actually we could not get full money as per agreement from the last three sponsors, so we also could not clear the participation money. Participation money also increased significantly," BFF finance committee chairman and senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy explained, adding that they could not yet clear a big portion of prize money of Super Cup while the BFF owes majority of its prize money to well-off clubs.  

At BFF's last annual general meeting in November, high administrative cost was in centre of discussion and many raised questions whether BFF was using too much money on non-development sectors, keeping lower division leagues and youth development neglected.

Out of Tk 3.82 crore additional expenditure for administrative purposes in last fiscal, Tk 2 crore has been spent for salary and allowances of BFF staff, who received Tk 5.65 crore, a rise of Tk 2 crore from the previous year. 

Other administrative expenditures included technical director's salary [Tk 1.14 crore], air tickets [Tk 35.12 lakh] fuel, utility, maintenance, stationary, printing, courier, entertainment, gifts, sports goods, conveyance for FIFA/AFC meeting attendance, etc.

"The BFF staff includes all coaches [except head coach Jamie Day and technical director Paul Smalley] including 18 local coaches, foreign coaches of football academy and supporting staff of the national team. The number of BFF staff has not increased much," Murshedy said. "However, I must agree that we should spend more in development activities such as long-term training and residential camp. I would have had the freedom to spend the money my way if I were the BFF president."

As per the audit report, BFF showed Tk 36.09 crore as its income in 2019, of which approximately Tk 33 crore came from AFC [Tk 7.29 crore], FIFA [Tk 6.98 crore], government [Tk 10.1 crore] and sponsors [Tk 8.57 crore]. The game's local governing body spent Tk 93 lakh more than its income, with the expenditure being Tk 37.03 crore.

The audit report also showed that the BFF spent Tk 25.24 crore directly in organising domestic competitions, participating in international competitions, clearing outstanding bills of 2018 and 2017. Out of Tk 25.24 crore expenditure, BFF had spent a major portion in preparation and participation of four FIFA World Cup Qualifying fixtures (Tk 3.02 crore), women's football activities (Tk 3.90 crore), head coach Jamie Day (Tk 2.96 crore), the 2018-19 Bangladesh Premier League (Tk 2.32 crore), 2018-19 Bangladesh Championship League (Tk 86 lakh) and prize money and telecast fee for 2018 Bangabandhu Gold Cup (Tk 93 lakh) and 2018 SAFF Championship (Tk 81 lakh).      

As of December 31, 2019, the audit report showed BFF's financial position of having a total of Tk 21.94 crore of liabilities, out of which Tk 11.38 crore were non-current liabilities [Bank loan of Tk 8.10 crore and others Tk 3.27 crore] and Tk 10.56 crore as current-liabilities [accounts payable Tk 6.76 crore and bank overdraft Tk 3.79 crore].

"We have already settled the loan with IFIC (Tk 8.10 crore)," said Murshedy. "BFF doesn't have fixed income except for donation from FIFA and AFC; BFF is run by crediting money. So there will be some deficit and liabilities. I think we should have adjusted those things."