The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is preparing to lodge an official complaint to the
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over what it claims was controversial and unfair refereeing
during Bangladesh’s 2-1 home defeat to Singapore in their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match on
Tuesday evening.
The match, held at a packed National Stadium in Dhaka, was a crucial Group C fixture. Despite
putting on a spirited performance against higher-ranked opponents, Bangladesh were left
frustrated after being denied a clear penalty in injury time, which could have changed the
outcome of the game.
The most debated moment of the match came in the 93rd minute when Foysal Ahmed Fahim,
one of Bangladesh’s brightest forwards, was brought down inside the penalty box while
attempting a final attack. Replays clearly showed contact between the Singapore defender and
Fahim, with the Bangladesh player tumbling to the ground in what appeared to be a textbook
penalty incident.
Players, fans, and the entire Bangladesh technical bench immediately appealed, expecting a
penalty that would give them a chance to level the score. Instead, the referee waved play on,
triggering strong protests from the home side.
“It was a clear foul in the box,” said a disappointed Hamza Choudhury, who captained the side
on the night. “We fought till the end. We deserved a fair chance.”
In the aftermath of the match, Bangladesh team manager Amer Khan confirmed to local
reporters that the federation is actively considering a formal complaint to the AFC regarding
the quality of refereeing.
“It wasn’t just the coach who was upset,” Amer said. “Our players were emotionally affected.
Decisions like this take the game away from you, especially when you’re playing with heart and
pride.”
According to BFF insiders, discussions are ongoing at the top level of the federation. A formal
letter of protest, complete with video evidence and expert opinion, is being drafted. The BFF
believes that lodging the complaint will not change the result, but it could help raise awareness
about poor officiating standards in major Asian competitions.
Despite the loss, there were several positives for Bangladesh. The midfield pairing of Hamza
Choudhury, who plays in the English Premier League, and Shamit Shome, a Canadian
international, impressed with their control, creativity, and composure. Shome in particular
showed good passing range and a strong presence as a box-to-box midfielder.
Just hours after the final whistle, Bangladesh’s two overseas-based midfielders—Hamza
Choudhury and Shamit Shome—left Dhaka together on an early morning Turkish Airlines
flight. Both players are expected to resume duties with their respective clubs in Europe and
North America.
Fahamedul Islam, who was not finding the rhythm in the match, returned to his hometown
Feni shortly after the game. He is scheduled to fly back to Italy on 17 June to rejoin his club
side.
Bangladesh’s next Group C match will be against Hong Kong, scheduled for 9 October, again at
the National Stadium in Dhaka. The team will aim to regroup, correct their mistakes, and push
for a better result.
With emotions still raw, the spotlight will remain on whether BFF follows through with its
official complaint. If they do, it may lead to further examination of refereeing standards and the
potential introduction of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in key AFC matches—something
several Asian teams have been demanding for years.