Dhaka: Manyavar, an Indian fashion chain active in Bangladesh for three years, has been named as the title sponsor of the eleven-team Bangladesh Premier Football League that kicks-off on 7 April at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) senior vice-president and chairman of the Professional Football League Committee Abdus Salam Murshedy introduced the new sponsors in presence of BFF president Kazi M Salahuddin at a signing cecemony at the conference room of BFF House on Sunday afternoon.

Managing director of the league sponsor Vintage Denim Ltd (Manyavar-Bangladesh) Imran Islam Chowdhury and BFF vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy signed the contract on behalf of their respective organisations initially for one year.

Addresing the pressmen, Imran Islam Chowdhury expressed his satisfaction at associating with football and hoped that Bangladesh’s position in FIFA world rankings will go up to between ‘60th to 70th’ in the near future, adding that they are keen to sponsor football for at least five years.  

The owner of the franchise in Bangladesh, Imran Islam Chowdhury hoped to create a long term relation with football. ‘We have high hopes regarding the future of football and we hope to build a bridge that will link Manyavar and BFF for a long time.’  

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin welcomed Manyavar to the field of football. ‘We welcome Manyavar in the evergreen field of football, we have every hope that the relationship will be a long-term one,’ said the BFF president.

‘We are for the first time playing in the World Cup Qualifers directly, we need more money for football, we were not getting enough money (for the league) from the sponsor, but we make a new start from Sunday,’ Salahuddin further said.  

BFF senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy said a good number of satellite channels have expressed their aspiration to broadcast 40 to 50% of the league matches live.  

Representatives of official partners, managing director of Treasure Securities Fazle Elahi, DMD of Pragati Insurance Co Maj (rtd) Saeed Obaidul Karim and BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag also spoke on the occasion.  

Earlier, the league committee has decided give Tk 25 lakh to all the eleven participating teams as appearance money.  

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club is likley to play Farashganj SC in the opening match on Tuesday.

The league matches will be held on home and away basis but the first round matches will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.