Dhaka League

Dhaka Senior Division Football League (), or the First Division Football League, is the third tier football league in Bangladesh. Until 2006, it was the top-tier league of the country. It was established in 1948 as part of the Dhaka League, while modern-day Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan. Until 1971, it was run in parallel with the National Football Championship in West Pakistan.

The top-tier football league in Dhaka has seen numerous changes in both format and name. Initially, it was referred to as the First Division or Senior Division Football League. In 1993, a Dhaka Premier Division Football League was launched which was also re-introduced in its current version as the Dhaka Senior Division Football League.

Upon the creation of the country's first national top-tier professional football league, the B. League in 2007, the Dhaka Premier Division League was merged with Dhaka First Division League, and re-introduced as the second-tier football league, the Dhaka Senior Division League. Finally, after the introduction of a national second-tier professional football league, the Bangladesh Championship League in 2012, it became the third-tier.

The league is the highest division of semi-professional football in the country, and the two top-finishing teams are automatically promoted to professional football through the Bangladesh Championship League. The league is run by Dhaka Metropolitan Football Committee under the supervision of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

History

Dhaka First Division League (1948–1972)

Although the Dhaka Football League was initially established in 1915, it was not until 1948, a year after the Partition of India, that the three-tiered football league system (First Division, Second Division, Third Division), operated by the Dhaka Sporting Association, was officially recognized in what was then the province of East Bengal. Initially, games were held at Paltan Maidan, until the completion of Dhaka Stadium. Dhaka's Nawab Family also played a massive role in administrating the league during its early years. After receiving official recognition, the first league title was won by the Bengali-dominated Victoria SC.

Sports clubs like Dhaka Wanderers and Mohammedan SC were the more successful ones and grew the base for league football among Bengalis. Regulations also prevented clubs from fielding more than five non-Bengali players, consequently Dhaka's football grew popular and a few East Pakistani footballers from the league, such as Nabi Chowdhury, Abdur Rahim, Golam Sarwar Tipu, Hafizuddin Ahmed and Mari Chowdhury were selected for the Pakistan national team, which was dominated by West Pakistanis. Makrani players like the "Pakistani Pele" Abdul Ghafoor and Turab Ali were also essential to the league's success, when the clubs took part in the Aga Khan Gold Cup.

During the Pakistani days, a number of corporate and government owned clubs also participated in the Football League, with most of the players being employees of the parent corporations. Some of them were, PWD SC, Police AC, Dhaka Central Jail, WAPDA Sports Club, East Pakistan Government Press (EPGP), East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (EPIDC), and East Pakistan Railways, to name some. The league often attracted the leading players from National Football Championship in West Pakistan to play in a competition run as a parallel to the National Championship each year. Following 23 uninterrupted seasons, the league was not held in 1971, due to the Bangladesh Liberation War. After the Independence of Bangladesh, EPIDC one of the most successful corporate teams was changed into Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and East Pakistan Government Press into Bangladesh Government Press.

On 15 July 1972, the Bangladesh Football Federation was founded, and the league was resumed only to be stopped after seven games. However, during the unfinished 1972 season, Dhaka Wanderers striker Nazir Ahmed Sr, scored a hattrick against Dilkusha SC and thus became the first player to achieve this feat since the country's independence. The regular league format after independence had all clubs play against one another for the first 15 rounds, however, from the 16th round the top-8 teams played a single round robin known as the Super League, while clubs who would finish midtable or face relegation were decided in the normal league round. The league usually consisted of 16 teams but the number of teams varied each year.

1973–1992

In 1973, the league had its first completed season in independent of Bangladesh, as corporate owned, Team BJMC were crowned champions. In 1972, newly promoted Iqbal Sporting was reformed as Abahani Limited Dhaka, by Sheikh Kamal. The club soon made a name for themselves by signing Mohammedan SC star Kazi Salahuddin and winning the 1974 league title, thus starting the fierce rivalry between the two clubs. The following few years saw both the two Dhaka Giants dominate the domestic scene, however, during the last year of the decade, Team BJMC caused an upset by claiming the league title. The 1980s was the golden era of club football in Dhaka. Any match involving Mohammedan or Abahani would draw huge crowds at the Dhaka stadium. Other than the two giants, Team BJMC, Brothers Union, Rahmatganj MFS and Muktijoddha Sangsad KC frequently formed strong teams while, Wari Club and Azad Sporting were seen as the ‘Giant Killers’.

In 1980, Mohammedan SC won the league with only suffering a single defeat the entire season. However, it was their rivals Abahani who dominated the league for the first half of the decade, winning the league title in 1981, 1983, 1984 & 1985. During the 1982 season, Mohammedan striker Abdus Salam Murshedy also created history by scoring a record 27 league goals. The 1984 season was a significant year in Dhaka football, as a bold move from the Dhaka football authority saw the introduction of the 3 point system in the league, at that time, only the English League used this system. The change later helped Abahani clinch the title from Mohammedan, with a game in hand in the Super League. Abahani thus became the first club from Bangladesh to participate in the Asian Club Championship, the following year.

The 1987 season saw the level of football in Dhaka reach its peak. Mohammedan signed Iranian international Reza Naalchegar while Abahani signed Iranian duo Samir Shaker and Karim Allawi. Alongside the foreign recruits Mohammedan midfielder Sayed Rumman Sabbir was the best local talent that season, while Monem Munna and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, were already being seen as two of the best players in the subcontinent. In the end, Mohammedan's veteran midfielder Khurshid Alam Babul scored the all important goal during the last game of the season against Abahani, earning his team a crucial 3-2 victory to win the league. With the teams finishing on equal points play off matches were required, and after a 0–0 draw in the first playoff match Mohammedan secured the title with a 2–0 win in the 2nd playoff match, where no spectators were allowed into the Army Stadium, due to a fight that previously broke out between the rival fans, during the first playoff round. Mohammedan soon completed a record unbeaten hat-trick of league titles during 1988-89 season, when the league was held at the Mirpur Stadium for the first time.

Dhaka Premier Division League (1993–2006)

In the 1990s, the Bangladesh Football Federation faced inconsistency in holding the league, including a one-year break in 1990. In 1992, Abahani won the season-ending Dhaka Derby game, securing their second consecutive league title. In 1993, the BFF launched a new premier football competition in the country, the Dhaka Premier Division League and re-introduced the Dhaka First Division League as the new second-tier. In what was a much-scrutinized decision by the BFF, number of teams participating in the top-tier was reduced from 20 to 10, while the bottom 10 teams from the previous season remained in the Dhaka First Division League.

In the mid-nineties, Abahani, Mohammedan, and Brothers Union agreed to create a pool system to lower player salaries and refrain from signing players from one another. This new agreement had a significant impact on the players, who continued to dispute with the authorities of their respective clubs. In 1994, Manzur Quader, the director of Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, took advantage of this situation by signing 11 national team mainstays. Even after Muktijoddha's new acquisitions, both Abahani and Mohammedan continued their dominance until the 1997–98 season. During the last game of the league, Muktijoddha played against Mohammedan, who needed a point to win the league. However, Mukti's skipper, Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib, scored a brace to end the 15-year supremacy of Abahani-Mohammedan.

In 2000, a National Football League was introduced, consisting of the champion team from each Dhaka Premier League season. Additionally, the district league champions had to participate in a qualifying tournament for their respective divisions. The National League was established to broaden the domestic football scene and facilitate the involvement of clubs outside the capital. Premier League clubs also lost the right to participate in the Asian Club Championship following its re-introduction after the 2001–02 edition. With the introduction of the AFC Cup in 2004, the AFC competition spot previously awarded to the Dhaka Premier League champions was reassigned to the winners of the National League and Federation Cup, in accordance with the new tournament's rules.

The start of the new decade saw Muktijoddha win their second league title, and although the following couple of years saw the old Dhaka duo maintain their dominance, Brothers Union proceeded to win two consecutive league titles, thanks to the partnership between Alfaz Ahmed and Arman Mia. Nevertheless, the popularity of the league had declined due to the country's poor performances in the international circuit and the Dhaka-based league also failed to produce local talents like before. In 2006, the BFF again canceled the league season, and most of the top-tier clubs participated in the National Football League, meaning the country did not have a functioning top-tier league for a span of two years.

Dhaka Senior Division League (2007–present)

In 2007, the B.League was launched as the country's new top-tier and first ever professional football league by the Bangladesh Football Federation. The B.League now known as the Bangladesh Premier League, allows clubs outside of Dhaka to participate, as BFF attempted to decentralise domestic football. With the introduction of the new top-tier, the Dhaka Premier Division League was merged with the Dhaka First Division League (second-tier 1993–2007), and re-introduced as the country's new second-tier, Dhaka Senior Division Football League. In 2012, after the introduction of a second-tier professional football league, the Bangladesh Championship League, which is also open to clubs outside of Dhaka, it became the third-tier. The winner and runner-up of the semi-professional league will enter professional football through the Bangladesh Championship League, while the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Dhaka Second Division League.

Structure

Sponsorship

Previous winners

First Division League

Premier Division League

Senior Division League

Champions

Champions by tier

The list contains the total number of league titles that each club has attained by its different tiers.

Champions by team

The list includes the total number of league titles each club has attained.

Top scorers

Records

Undefeated teams

* Victoria SC (1962–1965)
1962–1965 : Victoria SC became the first recorded undefeated champions during the East Pakistani era in 1962. The run lasted for 67 matches from 1962 to 1965, during which they won the league title in both 1962 and 1964. The unbeaten streak came to an end in 1965 when they suffered a 1–2 defeat to PWD Sports Club.

* Mohammedan SC (1956, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1969, 1978, 1983, 1985–1990, 1996)

1956 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated runners-up as Dhaka Wanderers Club won its fourth consecutive league title. Although both clubs were tied on points, Mohammedan refused to play a playoff final, leading to the East Pakistan Sports Association handing the trophy to the Wanderers.

1959 : Mohammedan SC became only the second club recorded to be undefeated champions in the East Pakistani era. The club's captain Ashraf Chowdhury was top scorer in the league with 16 league goals that year.

1960 : Mohammedan SC were the undefeated league runners-up behind arch-rivals, Dhaka Wanderers Club, whom they defeated in the final league game of the season; however, they lost out on the title due to goal average.

1966 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated league champions for the second time in the East Pakistani era.

1969 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated league champions for the third time in the East Pakistani era. The regular front three included wingers Pratap Shankar Hazra, Golam Sarwar Tipu alongside Pakistan national team center-forward Ali Nawaz Baloch.

1978 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated champions again, in the normal league round they played 15 matches (8 wins and 7 draws), by the end of the Super League round they played a total of 24 matches (14 wins and 10 draws). Throughout the season they scored 44 goals and conceded 12 finishing with 38 points. Brothers Union finished runners-up with 33 points.

1983 : Runners-up Mohammedan SC were unbeaten alongside champions Abahani Krira Chakra. The team earned 35 points (12 wins and 11 draws), scored 35 and conceded 35.

1985–1990 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated in the First Division from 8 September 1985 to 15 March 1990, which is the longest unbeaten run in Bangladeshi domestic football history. They were undefeated for one thousand six hundred and fifty days winning 63 times and drawing 13 times. They scored 160 and conceded 24 goals. The Black and Whites took the league title three times in a row from 1986 to 1989 (1986, 1987 and 1988–89).

1996 : Mohammedan SC became the last undefeated champions of the First Division before it was replaced as the top-tier by the B.League. They played 18 matches (15 wins and 3 draws), scored 36 and conceded 9. They finished the season with 48 points which was 5 more than runners-up Abahani Limited Dhaka.

* Abahani Limited Dhaka (1977, 1983, 1992, 1994)
1977 : Abahani Krira Chakra become the first club in independent Bangladesh to win the league as undefeated champions. Throughout the season they played 15 matches (10 wins and 5 draws), they scored a total of 27 goals and conceded 5. They finished the season with 25 points while Team BJMC finished as runners-up with 22 points.

1983 : Abahani Krira Chakra became undefeated champions while Mohammedan SC finished the season as unbeaten runners-up. Abahani won the league title with 41 points from 23 matches (18 wins and 5 draws), scoring 44 and conceding 6.

1992 : Abahani Limited Dhaka finished the league season as undefeated champions for the third time in its history. They played a total of 19 matches (18 wins and 1 draw), scored 53 goals and conceded 9. With 37 points they had four points more than runners-up Mohammedan SC. Their only draw in the league came in the round 18 against Mohammedan SC (1–1), the goalscorers were Boris Kuznetsov for Mohammedan and Mamun Joarder for Abahani.

1994 : Abahani Limited Dhaka were crowned undefeated league champions for the fourth time in its history. The team captained by Monem Munna, played 18 matches (10 wins 8 draws), scored 33 and conceded 8. They finished the season with 28 points which was 3 more than runners-up Muktijoddha Sangsad KC.

* Team BJMC (1967–1968, 1980)
1967 : East Pakistan IDC (now Team BJMC) won their first ever league title as unbeaten league champions, defeating Mohammedan SC 2–0 in the title deciding match on 23 November 1967, with goals from Salimullah and Abdul Jabbar.

1968 : East Pakistan IDC completed consecutive undefeated league triumphs, with their striker Ayub Dar finishing the season as the top scorer with 31 goals.

1980 : Team BJMC were unbeaten league runners-up, finishing a point behind Mohammedan SC with 37 points from 22 games (15 wins and 7 draws). They scored a total of 34 goals and conceded 6 in the league under coach Salimullah. The team was captained by Mostafa Hossain Mukul, while Sheikh Mohammad Aslam was their top scorer with 13 goals.

Top goal scorers

:NB Stats from the 1972 season are not being counted because the league was cancelled after only seven matchdays.

*Most goals in a season : Abdus Salam Murshedy
:Season: 1982
:Number of goals: 27
:Team: Mohammedan SC

*Most Top Goal Scorer awards : Sheikh Mohammad Aslam
:Season: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989–90
:Total goals: 80
:Team: Abahani Limited Dhaka

*Most goals in a game : Muhammad Umer
:Season: 1964
:Number of goals: 10
:Team: Victoria SC (vs Wari Club; 1 July 1964)

*Unrecognised all-time top scorer : Mari Chowdhury
:Season: 1953–1967
:Number of goals: 234
:Team: Azad Sporting Club, Mohammedan SC, Dhaka Wanderers, BIDC

*Unrecognised most goals in a season : Moosa Ghazi
:Season: 1966
:Number of goals: 51
:Team: Mohammedan SC

:NB Unrecognised records mainly include goals before the Independence of Bangladesh.

Notable players

Here are some prominent footballers, who participated in the league.

* Nasser Hejazi
* Reza Naalchegar
* Bijan Taheri
* Emeka Ezeugo
* Samir Shaker
* Karim Allawi

See also

* Aga Khan Gold Cup
* Independence Day Football Tournament
* Dhaka First Division Football League
* Football in Bangladesh

References

Further reading

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External links

Dhaka Football League: Days of Glory
at daily-sun.com

{{AFC third leagues

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Sports leagues established in 1948
1948 establishments in East Bengal
Sport in Dhaka
Third-level football leagues in Asia