Match-fixing and compromised results were once regular phenomena in Bangladesh's top-flight football, often used as a means to secure league titles or avoid relegation. However, the rise of live betting, spot-fixing, and online gambling has transformed these illicit practices into a systemic crisis, infecting not only the premier division but also lower-tier leagues.

The cancerous betting issue had been primarily associated with cricket, but it infested the country's domestic football circuit in the post-Covid era, with the 2020–21 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season marking a turning point. Arambagh KS became the first club to be found guilty of match manipulation, live betting, and fixing.

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Former Arambagh KS general secretary Ezaz Mohammad Jahangir described the evolution of match-fixing: "It used to be limited to teams vying for the title or trying to avoid relegation. Now, live betting and spot-fixing are destroying the game, involving club officials, players, and even referees."

What began as an isolated case quickly spread, tainting the second-tier Bangladesh Championship League and the 2nd Division Football League in the 2021–22 season.

Although the 2023–24 season remained largely free from controversy, the 2024–25 campaign has already seen three top-flight clubs -- Chittagong Abahani, Fakirerpool Young Men's Club, and Dhaka Wanderers -- facing allegations of betting and match-fixing, reigniting concerns.

Since the issue surfaced in 2021, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has punished 37 players, including three foreign recruits, from five clubs -- Arambagh KS, Uttar Baridhara Club, Karwan Bazar Prograti Sangha, and BG Press and Recreation Club -- for varying terms ranging from three months to five years, with the former three clubs being slapped with a demotion of one to two tiers.

Moreover, from those aforementioned clubs, as many as 17 club officials -- including club presidents, general secretaries, managers, assistant managers, coaches, physios, fitness trainers, and players' agents -- were also handed bans between August 2021 and November 2022, ranging from six months to lifetime suspensions.

Yet, these measures have failed to curb the growing influence of gambling syndicates. A club official, requesting anonymity, revealed how gambling syndicates manipulate clubs: "Travelling from club to club, they lure greedy officials with financial relief, convincing them that betting can solve their monetary problems."

Meanwhile, the BFF is about to inflict punishments on Azampur FC Uttara after launching an investigation against them on allegations of betting and fixing in late 2023.

New scandals rock the boat

This season, neither Chittagong Abahani's president nor its football committee chairman agreed to field a team, leaving former and current players to step in. This unusual transition has raised suspicions among club officials and former players, particularly as the port-city club now faces allegations of fixing and betting.

What drives individuals to engage in such a disgraceful act of match-fixing? Fortis FC head coach Masud Parvez Kaiser opined, "If an official truly loves football, he cannot be involved in betting and selling matches. They are doing it solely for financial gain because players cannot engage in such activities without the involvement of club officials."

Apparently, the roots of the crisis run deep. Club officials, coaches, and players have blamed financial instability, corruption, a lack of oversight and transparency, the BFF's lack of proactiveness and, of course, betting circles for the rise of this particular epidemic.

A source within the BFF, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "When clubs fall into the trap of gamblers, the gamblers appoint their own officials in team management. They even buy one or two positions to ensure their own players are fielded, making match-fixing inevitable."

FIFA's warnings and BFF's passive role

Despite FIFA's repeated warnings about the risks of betting and match-fixing in financially struggling leagues in the post-Covid era, the BFF has largely remained reactive. Investigations into allegations have only taken place when FIFA has provided direct evidence. Even the recommendations of the BFF's own Fixed Match Detection Committee (FMDC) have often been ignored.

FMDC chairman Humayun Khalid stresses the need for the BFF to educate club officials and players about the dangers of betting and fixing.

"They should also ensure players receive their salaries on time to reduce financial desperation," he told The Daily Star. He informed that the BFF had never provided feedback on the punishments or fines imposed by its disciplinary committee.

BFF general secretary Emran Hossain acknowledged the crisis but pointed to organisational constraints. "We couldn't arrange awareness programmes this season due to the BFF elections, but we are investigating the allegations seriously. If anyone is found guilty, we will take strict action."

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Beyond bans: A call for criminal prosecution

While suspensions and fines have been the primary punishments so far, former Arambagh general secretary Jahangir argues that such measures are ineffective.

"If an official earns one crore from betting, a lifetime ban means nothing. Instead, these cases should be dealt with under the country's existing [criminal] laws -- only then will people fear the consequences," he suggested.

Historically, clubs embroiled in fixing scandals have been those struggling financially, often assisted by lesser-known organisers. However, football in Bangladesh now stands at a crossroads.

Without urgent intervention -- stricter financial oversight, proactive governance, and legal repercussions -- the country's footballing future may be dictated not by skill on the pitch, but by the highest bidder in the shadows.