The seventh round of the Bangladesh Premier League begins today with title aspirants Team BJMC taking on a struggling Brothers Union at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the first match of the round.
The BFF has decided to take extra measures ahead of this game as there is a match-fixing rumour swirling around as Brothers are in danger of being relegated after failing to open their account in the league.
Brothers, the traditional giants have lost all of their five matches they played so far while BJMC have fallen slightly behind in the title race having earned only five points from as many matches and they are eight points behind league leaders Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.
Brothers’ desperateness to avoid relegation and BJMC’s hopes of winning the title evaporating set up a good stage for a fixed match which made the BFF to become alert.
‘We have information that there is a possibility of fixing the outcome and thus we are very cautious. We have taken some measures to prevent any kind of unlawful practice,’ said Abu Nayeem Shohag, general secretary of the Bangladesh Football federation.
Shohag informed that they, apart from the Bangladesh Television cameras, have decided to install extra movie cameras to record the match while they also have taken some steps which he did not want to reveal.
Shohag also encouraged all the football stakeholders especially the journalists to help them by giving information if any clue of match-fixing is found.
Apart from this match, the round, however, is not likely to witness too many exciting matches as only one of the four games of the round will see a clash between two big guns while the three other games are encounters between the title contenders and the bottom teams.
According to the points table so far, the biggest match of the round is scheduled for Saturday with fourth-placed team Mohammedan Sporting Club facing last season’s runners-up Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra at the latter’s home venue of Gopalganj stadium.
Muktijoddha, however, are not at the top of their form in this edition of the competition after losing 16 of their last season’s players in the pre-season transfer window but still they pose a big challenge for an in-form Mohammedan because of their unbeaten home record so far this year.
This round does not include any game featuring Abahani Limited as the defending champions have been given a rest but the spectators of Dhaka will still get a chance to see some of the country’s best players exhibiting their skills when star-studded Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra will take on Arambagh Krira Sangha on Friday.
The season’s curtain-raiser competition Federation Cup champions Russell are third in the league table with 12 points they earned from five matches while Arambagh are second from the bottom gathering only three points from five appearances.
The table-toppers Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club got their game of the round against Feni Soccer Club at the BNS on Saturday.
Jamal, however, are likely to lead the table after this round as well since previous record does not suggest Feni Soccer Club to be tough opponents in their away matches while Jamal have been playing a disciplined game this season.