Football Players Welfare Association demands review of SAARC player policy

The Football Players Welfare Assocciation (FPWA) of Bangladesh has called for greater opportunities for local players and a review of the SAARC player policy, submitting a memorandum to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

As part of efforts to strengthen regional ties and increase player , South Asian countries have begun recognising each other’s players as locals in domestic leagues from this season, with Bangladesh among the first to adopt the policy. While footballers from neighbouring nations are now featuring regularly in the Bangladesh Football League, local players say they are yet to receive similar opportunities abroad.

“Only Tariq Kazi is currently playing in the Bhutan league. Our players are not getting chances in other countries, while foreign players are playing here. We have drawn the federation’s attention to this issue,” national team defender Rahmat Mia told reporters at the BFF House after the FPWA submitted the memorandum to general secretary Emran Hossain Tushar.

Other players have said that chances at specific positions, especially in striker positions, are becoming almost out of bounds for local players due to this policy.

Under the current rules, each club can register up to five SAARC players and five from outside the region, with three foreign players allowed in the starting XI. Teams must also include at least one Under-20 player. The protesting footballers believe this structure is limiting opportunities for local talent to flourish.

In their memorandum, the players also demanded a long-term development plan for domestic football, an increase in the number of league teams, a reduction in foreign player quotas, and greater financial security for players under the federation.

While traditional giants Bashundhara Kings, Abahani and Mohammedan have yet to utilise the SAARC policy, several other clubs -- including Brothers Union, Fortis FC, Rahmatganj and Police -- have benefited from it by signing cost-effective SAARC players who have delivered impressive performances.

Ironically, three of the four signees of the memorandum -- Mehedi Hasan Mithu and Alamgir Kabir Rana and Mohammad Ibrahim either play for Mohammedan or Abahani, neither club having any SAARC quota player.