BFF's CFO Sarfaraz Hasan Siddiqui resigns

His resignation has been accepted and will officially come into effect from April 10. However, as per mutual agreement, Sarfaraz will continue for an additional three months, primarily to oversee a smooth transition of responsibilities.

In the interim, financial matters particularly banking affairs and communication with international bodies such as FIFA, AFC and SAFF will be handled by another official from federation’s finance division, Syed Amirul. 

BFF General Secretary Imran Hossain Tushar has already informed the executive committee members about the development through an internal message.

Within the federation's administrative structure, CFO holds the second-highest position after General Secretary. BFF reportedly spends close to Tk 800,000 monthly on salaries for these two administrative roles, excluding foreign coaching staff. 

Over the past few years, the CFO position has been a recurring source of concern for the organization.

Following the ban of former General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag by FIFA on April 14, 2023, BFF formed an internal investigation committee to look into its financial operations. 

During this period, the then CFO Abu Hossain resigned in June-July. A few months later, BFF President Kazi Salahuddin appointed Sarfaraz Hasan as his replacement.

The federation's primary revenue comes from grants provided by FIFA and AFC.

These funds, though substantial; amounting to millions of dollars annually, are accompanied by strict compliance protocols regarding their use. 

Previously, failure to adhere to these guidelines led to penalties and bans for several involved staff members.

Since taking office, Sarfaraz maintained strict adherence to FIFA and AFC compliance standards. 

However, this rigid approach reportedly created friction, with many struggling to adjust to additional bureaucratic procedures. Discontent among executive committee members regarding Sarfaraz’s conduct had been growing, culminating in discussions during several executive and finance committee meetings. 

The most recent of these occurred on April 9, where the CFO again faced tough questions.

Insiders suggest that these accumulated tensions ultimately led to his resignation.

The post of CFO within BFF has been contentious for years. 

Notably, shortly after Kazi Salahuddin assumed the federation presidency in 2008, he appointed Abu Hossain as CFO. Hossain’s tenure was marred by repeated criticisms over excessive leave and financial irregularities. 

Despite this, Salahuddin continued to back him. 

However, following Shohag’s ban, the internal probe linked Hossain to financial mismanagement, prompting his pre-emptive resignation, a move that drew scrutiny toward Salahuddin’s leadership as well.

Sarfaraz’s appointment was seen as a corrective measure, but with new BFF president Tabith Awal now at the helm and heading the finance committee himself sources indicate that it was his discomfort with the current CFO that ultimately triggered the resignation. 

Nevertheless, Tabith has yet to initiate any visible actions to address past financial irregularities under previous leadership.


SH