Former national football team coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, the unmatched president candidate against favorite Kazi Salahuddin, announced a 21-point manifesto at a city hotel, ahead of Saturday’s BFF Elective Congress 2020.
Manik has decided to take the go-alone pathway without contesting under any panel.
He revealed the manifesto alongside former national football star Rumman bin Wali Sabbir.
There is no significant point in the manifesto, which he admitted to have prepared hurriedly.
He named it “Vision 2033” explaining the figure to match the ballot number (3) as well as the date of election.
One of the points stated that long-term plan is to form a strong Olympic team in 2033 in a bid to play the final rounds of the Olympics.
The manifesto prioritized district football and lower-tier leagues from pioneer to first division, inter-school, inter-university and inter education board competitions, and organizing age-group tournaments at U-17, U-19 and U-21 level.
Manik wants to bring the national male and female footballers under wage structure and insurance to encourage the players as well as their guardians to be more attentive.
He desires to prepare a policy to force the professional clubs to form at least two age-group teams.
The manifesto showed no ambition.
Some points contain basic activities of the federation like publishing calendar and holding annual general meeting every year and zero tolerance policy against corruption and fixed matches.
The last point talks about forming a 11-member advising committee to execute the manifestos and seven-member research group to develop football in grassroots.
“I requested others to contest for the president’s post but none responded so I decided to take go-alone policy to fulfill my wish at the last moment,” explained the Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited coach Manik.
He also said, “If elected, I wouldn’t be there for more than four years but I want to leave it to a certain stage from where football will only develop.”
