Quite similar to the wintry first day of February, the Bangladesh Football Federation too seemed gloomy and overcast Saturday after the women footballers protested against head coach Peter Butler.
In light of the issue, the BFF has formed a seven-member special committee who sat in its first meeting to look into the matter.
The committee is chaired by BFF senior vice-president Imrul Hasan who said the previous day that they would interview the players, coaches, manager, coaching staff, and even the chairman of the women's committee to learn more about the case.
They have a deadline to submit the report by next Thursday.
The protesting players gave their take to the media, listing a series of complaints against Butler.
They boycotted training and floated the idea of retirement if Butler stays.
The federation however, kept the national training camp going under Butler ahead of the upcoming FIFA friendly match against the United Arab Emirates later this month.
A total of 13 players who did not join the protest attended the training session at Bangabandhu National Stadium Saturday morning.
The 18 who protested were a conspicuous absence from practice.
Butler did not comment on the protesting players, and is rather focused on the existing ones.
A member of the coaching staff who wished to remain anonymous told Dhaka Tribune that the coach’s stance is that “past is past”, and wanted to move on.
BFF women’s wing committee chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron talked to the reporters Saturday afternoon on their efforts to change the footballers’ decision.
“We keep working on internally. We are trying. Of course, we want the girls to stay in the camp, train and go to the games. That’s what we want,” Kiron said.
“We are working relentlessly. I sat with the players today. I tried my best to make them understand. The president (Tabith Awal) is also working on it. I’m positive.
“They didn’t say anything. They are adults. As a guardian and chairman of women’s wing, my words have a different appeal to them. I’m trying to make them realize what they are doing is not good for them, not good for anybody and certainly not good for the country. I urged them to come back from their standpoint.”
Amid all this, there are whispers and speculation doing the rounds that a single senior player is responsible for creating the whole situation.
The first meeting of the probe committee involved setting the work plans for the upcoming days.
The committee’s report will decide the stance of the federation.
