Dhaka: Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin has thrown down the gauntlet to those talking against him claiming irregularities, corruption and embezzlement of BFF funds.  

‘I agree to go to jail, if they can prove that I’m corrupt. But if they failed to provide proof, they must beg forgiveness,’ a visibly angry Salahuddin said, responding to claims that he siphoned FIFA and AFC funds to meet his personal purpose.  

Salahuddin made this remark when he was taking to the press at BFF House on Thursday noon.  

Terming some newspaper reports as ‘very sad’, the former ace footballer said ‘Some reported that I come to BFF office early in the morning to do my kitchen market using BFF fund.’

Salahuddin termed such report, published in black-and-white format, as propaganda what he did not allow in the past and do not now and will not be in future.  

Salahuddin who also South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) president said, ‘Who are talking against me, bringing out protest rally, they are not stakeholders. Don’t make any propaganda, I do not allow any scandals; I only want to work for the development of football.’

Replying to a query, Salahuddin said, ‘I’ve spent 90 percent of fund behind the national football team, I can raise funds, arrange tournaments, but cannot play the game.’  

He observed that football cannot be developed without the whole nation’s contribution and asked for logical demand from all the football-loving people.  

Regarding the upcoming BFF executive committee election, Salahuddin said, ‘I’m giving you all an open invitation, not giving challenge, to monitor the BFF executive committee election on April 30.’  

‘I’ve already invited FIFA and the AFC to monitor the election,’ Salahuddin continued.  

‘If I am again returned (as president), I will bring changes in Bangladesh football to lift it up to the international level. We (the stakeholders) will try to raise fund first, before I have a coach,’ BFF boss replied in a query.  

Salahuddin finally concluded saying, ‘I’ve given a vision ‘2022’ to make a start as I want to have a peaceful development in football.’  

However, a group of organisers and former players under the banner of Bachao Football (save football) on Wednesday met Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon and sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s intervention to end what they termed a ‘crisis’ in Bangladesh football.  

The group informed the BCB president about various irregularities, autocracy and corruption in BFF.

The group comprised former national footballers Shamsul Alam Monju, Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu, Abdul Gaffar, Kaiser Hamid, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam and Zakaria Pintu, coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, Director-in-charge of Mohammedan Sporting Club Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan and Abu Hasan Chwodhury Prince were, among others, present.