The supporters of four-time professional football league champions Abahani Limited boycotted the club’s Bangladesh Premier League match against Brothers Union yesterday as a protest of the side’s poor results.
The traditional Sky Blues played their first match of the second phase of the Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium but not a single supporter of the club was present in the western gallery also known as “Abahani gallery”.
Abahani Supporter Forum staged a protest by waving a black flag in front of the Western gallery instead of Sky Blue flags during the match against Brothers Union.
The fans were furious after Abahani lost to archrivals Mohammedan SC 1-0 in the semi-final of the Independence Cup on April 9 before the angry group also blocked the exit gate of the players for more than an hour.
Though Abahani officials claimed few frustrated supporters tried to beat the players and club officials for the debacle, but the Supporters Forum blamed some senior players - including captain Mohammed Sujan – who apparently pushed them to leave the field, in return making them annoyed.
The Supporters Forum however refused to make any further comments about their protests but it was learnt the protest and not present at the gallery was a form expressing their displeasure against Abahani manager Sattyajit Dus Rupu. The Abahani fans claimed that they sent a letter to the club’s director in-charge demanding investigation to the issue and justice as well.
A fan is after all a fan and it was hard for few to avoid watching their team play while they also had an ongoing protest – as a result few watched the game from the Eastern gallery.
