An old, grey four-storied building in Armanitola which houses the country's alternate powerhouse of hockey in Usha Krira Chakra was supposed to be full of high spirit, excitement and activities of players and officials during this hockey season.
However, the reality is far from it. There is no excitement, one or two officials are moving about the building without much of a purpose and few of the players are having light practice to keep themselves fit.
The reason behind this is that the club authorities have opted to stay out of the ongoing Premier League after being denied justice by the Bangladesh Hockey Federation over the Club Cup final that Usha lost to Mohammedan Sporting under farcical circumstances on April 16.
They have even sought the intervention of the court as a measure of seeking justice after failing to get that from the game's governing body, which bend the law just to uphold a whimsical decision.
Usha Krira Chakra is a revered name in country's hockey scene, having started its colourful journey in 1984. The club however involved in social activities for nine years after buying out then Mahuthtuli Club in 1975.
Along their long journey in domestic hockey, the Old Dhaka outfit produced star player likes Jamal Haider, Mohammad Sadek, Kamal Hossain as they gradually cracked the supremacy of Abahani and Mohammedan They completed a hattirck of Premier League titles last season. They had set their sights on a straight fourth, a feat no other club has yet to achieve, before this unwanted turn of events shattered their dreams.
Just one day before the start of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League, club officials decided not to take part in the league until a solution regarding the final of season's curtain-raising tournament, Club Cup hockey, was reached.
In that farcical final Mohammedan were declared winners after 55 minutes of play despite protests from Usha players and officials. The club officials said that they were forced to seek the intervention of court after BHF general secretary bypassed the governing body to take a unilateral decision to adjudge Mohammedan winners despite repeated appeals from Usha.
"We wanted to solve it through discussion, but we were forced to go to court," said Usha KC general secretary Abdur Rashid Shikdar.
"I cannot describe the pain of the players and club members many of whom burst into tears after hearing the unjustifiable decision by the federation. Most of the club members have never played the game, but still love the game dearly and watch every match of Usha," said Shikdar, who has been acting as general secretary for last 11 years.
An angered section of the club's 400-registered members, who donate Tk 200 per month without asking anything for return, advised to buy a cricket club to leave hockey out of frustration, while some advised to take violent route to stop this ongoing league. However defying all odd suggestions, the club has chosen the peaceful way of legal battle to maintain club's heritage, and to set an precedent of justice and proper system in the federation.
"The BHF president has the power to give a ruling, but it must come from the governing body's meeting in presence of the members and we would not refute it if the ruling regarding the Club Cup final came through the proper channel," claimed Shikdar adding that the federation general secretary Khondoker Jamil Uddin and tournament committee secretary Anvir Adil showed little respect towards Usha and the law.
"What the club has lost cannot be valued in monetary terms. We are all as much upset as we were pleased after clinching hattrick title," said Shikdar. He had further questions for the federation high-ups, whether they can bring back a lost season for the players and the club, heal their pain, and who would take the responsibly if the current six national players of Usha are not considered for the national team.
Usha have spent Tk 38 lakh in forming the squad and havealready paid 80 to 90 per cent of the players' payments and in another Tk 20 lakh has been earmarked for spending behind foreign players and running the camp, claimed Shikdar.
But now that they have skipped the league altogether, Usha KC are expected to be demoted to the first division according to the bylaws of the league. However, the court has directed the federation to take a decision on the Club Cup final according to the rules and regulations as soon as possible and consider the plaintiff club's (Usha KC) position to ensure that they can participate in the next league.
Source: thedailystar.net
