Premier league from Feb 1

Bangladesh Premier League, the top-tier professional football league, will get underway from February 1 while Bangladesh Championship League, the second-tier league, will start from February 7, decided a meeting of Bangladesh Professional Football League Committee yesterday.

The meeting also decided to hold the 2nd Independence Cup Football tournament between March 10 and 12 with 16 teams taking part in the knock-out tournament.

Eleven teams from Bangladesh Premier League and five teams from Bangladesh Championship League will take part in the tournament, said BFF's acting general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday.

“Top five teams of Bangladesh Championship League's points table will be given permission to play along with 11 sides of Bangladesh Premier League,” said Shohag.

Both the leagues will remain suspended during the Independence Cup, he added.