The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam Saturday said he wants to see football in Bangladesh on its peak and sought cooperation of the National Sports Council and the authorities concerned in this connection.

"I'm very glad to visit this lovely country, this time I saw a lot of discipline here and hoped that it will also be found in your football field. Discipline and stability are the main two things to develop football," the AFC boss told a press conference at the conference room of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

Asked if his organisation has any plan for the development of Bangladesh football, he said, "I would like to show my love for Bangladesh. Development is an effort that depends lots on stakeholders. FIFA, AFC, sports organisers and political parties will have to play a role for development of football."

Asked about his meeting with NSC chairman and Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, he quoted the Army Chief as saying, "Football has to be played down to the villages, not only in Dhaka."

The AFC chief told a questioner that the previous statutes of BFF were not helpful for football. "These (current) statutes represent the stakeholders."

Responding to a query, he said the AFC's approach is actually to develop clubs. "This country needs to undertake programmes for youths and build club structures. And only after that there will be different football in Bangladesh within the next 4-5 years."

Hammam said he might come here again later this year with FIFA president Joseph H Blatter to inaugurate an artificial turf.

The AFC president laid the foundation of the artificial turf under FIFA goal project 2 at the Arambagh Balurmath (ground) beside the BFF Bhaban this afternoon.

AFC general secretary Dato Paul Mony Samuel, also in Bangladesh now, laid the foundation stone of a Football Training Center in Barisal this (Saturday) morning. The center will be built with financial assistance from FIFA.

BFF president SA Sultan, who was also present at the briefing, said, "In the past, he (Hammam) did a lot of favours to Bangladesh. He, especially, chose Bangladesh as one of the nations of Vision Asia."

Meanwhile, the BFF boss informed that they have officially requested the AFC to give their consent for hosting the group stage matches of the AFC President's Cup in May after neighboring Nepal expressed their inability.

BFF senior vice president Abdur Rahim, vice president Sirajul Islam Bachchu and general secretary Manzoor Hossain Malu were, among others, present on the occasion.