The Professional League Management Committee (PLMC) agreed Monday to arrange the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fixtures at random, forsaking the traditional pattern in order to limit “influence” in matches between lower-table teams.
Traditionally, the defending champions played the bottom team on the table and then followed the practise of playing the second bottom side, eventually progressing to complete the season, while the runners-up and other clubs did the same.
“Because the top sides play the bottom sides first, it leaves the matches between the bottom sides to face each other [in the later stages of the tournament].” As a result, the lowest teams strive to influence each other [in terms of outcomes],” Imrul Hasan, recently appointed PLMC chairman and BFF vice-president, told reporters yesterday during a meeting at the BFF House.
“So, we have decided to formulate the fixture on a random basis, with the aid of online apps.”
Beginning December 22, the BPL will conclude in June, allowing teams, particularly those competing in the AFC Cup, to take advantage of both the international and domestic transfer windows.
“We will complete the league by June, so that the clubs like Abahani, Bashundhara Kings playing the AFC Cup can take the advantage of using the international transfer window to sign up foreign players amid the local transfer window,” Hasan went on to say.
“Like the previous edition, the league matches will take place on Friday and Saturday while the matches of the Federation Cup will be held on Tuesday.”
Following Gopalganj FC’s withdrawal from top-flight football, it was also decided that the top two teams from the upcoming Bangladesh Championship League (BCL), which is expected to begin in early February following the transfer window from December 26 to January 25, will earn promotion to the BPL, while the bottom two BPL teams will be relegated to the BCL.
In addition, five BPL venues have been announced: Dhaka’s Bashundhara Kings Arena, Munshiganj, Gopalganj, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi. After their initial venues, Tangail and Faridpur, were not ready, Mohammedan SC and Brothers Union chose Mymensingh and Rajshahi, respectively.