Premier league starts on April 3

The Professional Football League Committee has deferred the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League by 25 days after the club officials backtracked from their previous decision to start the league from Monday, just three days after the completion of the Federation Cup.

The 8th edition of the premier league, comprising 11 clubs, will now start from April 3, two days after the completion of the AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers in Dhaka.

The League Committee comprising BFF members and club representatives had earlier decided to complete the first two rounds before suspending the league for the preparation of the U-23 national football team, who will compete against Syria, Uzbekistan and India from March 27 to 31 in the AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers.

“We have deferred the league because of the club officials, who believe the tempo of their teams will be affected if the league is suspended after only two rounds. They want an uninterrupted league and that is why the league will start from April 3,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag.

Shohag believes that the league committee would be able to complete the league by July as there is no international engagement for Bangladesh in the meantime, expect for two FIFA Qualifiers on June 11 and 17.