Supporters of the candidates in the Bangladesh Football Federation election gather outside the BFF House on Monday. — New Age photo

Kazi Salahuddin has been elected unopposed as the president of Bangladesh Football Federation for another four years as the withdrawal of his rival Abdur Rahim’s candidature  was accepted at the pre-election annual general meeting on Monday.
Salahuddin was all but confirmed to be re-elected after Rahim, the other candidate running for the presidency, had appealed to the election commission to drop his name from the ballot paper.
The election commission was initially reluctant to entertain Rahim’s   request as the deadline for withdrawal of nomination paper was well over, meaning he was still a candidate.
The election commission later sought a suggestion from FIFA observers Manilal Fernando and Chrisantha Perera, who were of the opinion that Rahim’s plea can be accepted only if the councillors agree to do so. 
Accordingly, it was placed at annual general meeting where Rahim in front of the 121 BFF councillors present at the meeting said that he has willingly decided to withdraw his candidature, not at gunpoint or under any kind of pressure.
The councillors accepted his withdrawal and following their decision the election commission declared Salahuddin elected unopposed and no voting was held for the president post. 
Later in the afternoon, the polls for the other 20 positions began with 121 of 122 councillors casting their votes amid festivity. Bangladesh Championship League club Beanibazar Sporting Club councillor Shariful Islam could not vote as he is currently out of the country for a personal reason.
The election venue, the BFF Bhaban at Arambagh, was abuzz from the morning with the supporters of different candidates gathering in front of the venue, shouting slogans for their respective candidates.
Many supporters came sporting the names of their favourite candidates on their shirts. Feni Soccer Club chairman and vice-president candidate Tabith Awal’s supporters were conspicuous by their colourful presence. They had donned the official jerseys of their clubs with the name of Tabith printed on it.
Another candidate for the vice-president’s post  Arif Khan Joy’s supporters, however, were wearing the shirts of famous Spanish club Real Madrid. Some supporters did not pay too much attention to their clothes and rather were happy carrying the banners and placards and distributing the leaflets.
None of the supporters, however, was allowed to enter the venue and they all had to take their positions in the adjacent areas.  
The journalists were accommodated in a temporary tent erected in front of BFF Bhaban.