The Bangladesh Hockey Federation yesterday has filed a case against the five national hockey players who threatened their fellow players and head coach Naveed Alam.
The case was filed at the Paltan Police Station and the hockey federation is looking to tighten the security arrangement for the national hockey players and put a stop to the frequent interference by the outsiders at the national hockey camp based in the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium.
The hockey federation on Tuesday, banned Russell Khan Bappi, the president of the Hockey Players Welfare Association, Ariful Haque Prince, the general secretary of the association, and players Asaduzzaman Chandan, Ashiquzzaman and Shamsuddin Tuhin for their involvement in the incident that saw a chair being thrown at Naveed Alam as he was talking with the national players.
On that particular day, the Players Welfare Association leaders also threatened the players and instructed them not to attend the practice sessions over their two-point demands. Following the incident, the hockey federation in a Governing Body meeting on Wednesday handed a life-long ban from all hockey activities to Russell Khan Bappi, a ten year ban to Prince and five suspensions for the other three.
BHF general secretary Khwaja Rahmatullah thought the step was necessary to ensure the security of the national camp.
"There were threats, reportedly even bribing. They came to the national camp at their will and stayed till midnight, they created a frightening atmosphere. It can't go on and for the sake of the national camp, the GB decided to submit a case against the five players," said Rahmatullah at his federation office yesterday.
"We are not saying anything exaggerated. Everything we said really happened. The law enforcers will take care of has to be done now, the law will go in its own way," he added.
Meanwhile, Asiquzzaman has written a letter to the president of the hockey federation to reconsider his ban as he claims that he did not threaten or scold the coach, but was just physically present at the time of the incident.
