Dhaka Senior Division Football League

Dhaka Senior Division Football League (Bengali: ঢাকা সিনিয়র ডিভিশন ফুটবল লিগ), or the First Division Football League, is the third tier football league in Bangladesh.[1] Until 2006, it was the top-tier league of the country. It was officially established in 1948 as 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.[2]

Dhaka Senior Division Football League
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948) (as Dhaka First Division Football League)
1993; 31 years ago (1993) (as Dhaka Premier Division Football League)
2007; 17 years ago (2007) (as Dhaka Senior Division Football League)
First season1948
CountryBangladesh
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1 (1948–2006)
2 (2007–2011)
3 (2012–present)
Promotion toBangladesh Championship League
Relegation toDhaka Second Division League
Current championsSomaj Kallyan KS Mugda
(2021–22)
Most championshipsMohammedan Sporting Club (19 titles)
Top goalscorerBangladesh Sheikh Mohammad Aslam (177)
TV partnersBangladesh Football Federation
(on Facebook and YouTube)
Websitebff.com.bd
Current: 2023–24 Dhaka Senior Division Football League

The top-tier football league in Dhaka has seen numerous changes in both format and name. Initially, it was referred to as the Dhaka League or First 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.[3]

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.[4] The league is run by Dhaka Metropolition Football Committee under the supervision of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

History

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Early years (1948–1972)

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Mohammedan SC, the league's most successful team with 19 titles.

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.[5]

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.[6]

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 better organised Dhaka 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 Championships each year.[2][7] Following 23 uninterrupted seasons, the Dhaka 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.[8]

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.[9] 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.[10]

1973–1992

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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’.[11]

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 Dhaka 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.[12] The 1985 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 Brothers Union, during the Super League round. Abahani thus became the first club from Bangladesh to participate in the Asian Club Championship, the following year.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15] 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.[11]

Dhaka Premier Division League (1993–2006)

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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.[16] 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.[17]

In 2000, a National Football League was introduced, consisting of the top 3 teams 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.[18]

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.[19] 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.[20][21]

Dhaka Senior Division League (2007–present)

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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 (Dhaka 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.[22]

Structure

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Level

League / Division

1

Bangladesh Premier League
11 clubs - 2 relegation

2

Bangladesh Championship League
11 clubs - 2 promotion, 2 relegation

3

Dhaka Senior Division Football League
14 clubs – 2 promotion, 3 relegation

4

Dhaka Second Division Football League
18 clubs, split into 2 groups – 2 promotion, 2 relegation

5

Dhaka Third Division Football League
18 clubs, split into 2 groups – 2 promotion, 2 relegation

6

Bangladesh Pioneer Football League
unlimited number of clubs - 4 promotion

Sponsorship

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Period Sponsor Tournament name
1948–1995 Unknown Dhaka League/Premier Division League
1995 Lifebuoy Lifebuoy Premier League[23]
1996 Danish Condensed Milk Danish Condensed Milk Dhaka Premier League[24]
2000–2002 National Bank Limited National Bank Metropolis Senior Division Football League[25]
2003–2004 Western Union Western Union Dhaka Premier Division Football League[26]
2005 Premier Bank PLC. Premier Bank Premier Football League[27]
2012–13 Popular Life Insurance Popular Life Insurance Senior Division Football League[28]
2014–15 Bengal Group of Industries Bengal Group Dhaka Senior Division League[29]
2017 Saif Powertec Saif Powertec Senior Division Football League[30]
2018–19 TVS Motor Company TVS Senior Division Football League/TVS Dhaka Metropolis Senior Division Football League.[31]
2021–present Bashundhara Group Bashundhara Group Senior Division Football League[32]

Previous winners

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First Division League (1948–1970)

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Year Champions[33] Note
1948 Victoria SC (1) Known club from the first edition of the league following the Partition of India: Victoria SC, Dhaka Wanderers Club, Wari Club, Mohmmaedan SC, Mahuttuli Club, East Bengal Railway, New East Bengal, Tikatuli SC, Dhaka Electric Supply.
1949 East Pakistan Gymkhana (1)
1950 Dhaka Wanderers Club (1)
1951 Dhaka Wanderers Club (2)
1952 Bengal Government Press (1)
1953 Dhaka Wanderers Club (3)
1954 Dhaka Wanderers Club (4)
1955 Dhaka Wanderers Club (5) First club to win a hat-trick of league titles. The league was finished mid-season due to a flood, with Dhaka Wanderers top of the table.[34]
1956 Dhaka Wanderers Club (6) First club to win four league titles in a row.
1957 Mohammedan Sporting Club (1)
1958 Azad Sporting Club (1)
1959 Mohammedan Sporting Club (2)
1960 Dhaka Wanderers Club (7)
1961 Mohammedan Sporting Club (3)
1962 Victoria SC (2) First record of an undefeated champion in East Pakistan.
1963 Mohammedan Sporting Club (4)
1964 Victoria SC (3)
1965 Mohammedan Sporting Club (5)
1966 Mohammedan Sporting Club (6)
1967 East Pakistan IDC (1)
1968 East Pakistan IDC (2)
1969 Mohammedan Sporting Club (7)
1970 East Pakistan IDC (3)

First Division League (1971–1992)

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Year Champions Note
1971 Not held Not held due to the Bangladesh Liberation War.
1972 Not completed
1973 BJMC (4)
1974 Abahani Krira Chakra (1) According to the FIFA rules Dilkusha SC should have been handed the title due to a higher goal difference. However, the league decided to use average goal scored to differentiate positions.[35]
1975 Mohammedan Sporting Club (8) Brothers Union became the first newly promoted side to defeat the defending champions (Abahani) in the opening league game.
1976 Mohammedan Sporting Club (9) Hafizuddin Ahmed became the first player in independent Bangladesh to score a double hat-trick, as Mohammedan defeated Fire Service SC 6–0.[36]
1977 Abahani Krira Chakra (2) First club in independent Bangladesh to become undefeated champions.[37]
1978 Mohammedan Sporting Club (10)
1979 BJMC (5)
1980 Mohammedan Sporting Club (11)
1981 Abahani Krira Chakra (3)
1982 Mohammedan Sporting Club (12) Mohammedan striker Abdus Salam Murshedy set a new record of scoring 27 goals in a single league season.[38]
1983 Abahani Krira Chakra (4) Abahani won the league even with a six point deduction.[37]
1984 Abahani Krira Chakra (5)
1985 Abahani Krira Chakra (6) Dhaka football authority introduced the 3 point system. Abahani became the first club in independent Bangladesh to win hat trick league titles, and also the first Bangladeshi club to qualify for the Asian Club Championship. They played the 1985–86 Asian Club Championship.
1986 Mohammedan Sporting Club (13) Mohammedan qualified for the 1987 Asian Club Championship.
1987 Mohammedan Sporting Club (14) Mohammedan qualified for the 1988–89 Asian Club Championship.
1988–89 Mohammedan Sporting Club (15) Mohammedan won a record unbeaten hat-trick of league titles and also qualified for the 1989–90 Asian Club Championship.[39]
1989–90 Abahani Limited Dhaka (7) Although Abahani were champions Mohammedan SC represented Bangladesh at both 1990–91 Asian Club Championship and 1991 Asian Club Championship. Abahani striker Sheikh Mohammad Aslam set a new record of being the league's highest scorer in five different seasons.
1991 Not held
1992 Abahani Limited Dhaka (8) Abahani paid a South Asian record of Tk20 lakh to Monem Munna.[40]

Premier Division League

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Year Champions Note
1993 Mohammedan Sporting Club (16) League renamed as the Dhaka Premier Division League, being the country's premier competition, and also due to the introduction of a new second-tier Dhaka First Division Football League.
1994 Abahani Limited Dhaka (9)
1995 Abahani Limited Dhaka (10)
1996 Mohammedan Sporting Club (17)
1997–98 Muktijoddha Sangsad KC (1) Muktijoddha qualified for the 1999–2000 Asian Club Championship.
1998 Not held
1999 Mohammedan Sporting Club (18)
2000 Muktijoddha Sangsad KC (2) Muktijoddha qualified for the 2001–02 Asian Club Championship.
2001 Abahani Limited Dhaka (11)
2002 Mohammedan Sporting Club (19)
2003–04 Brothers Union (1) Winners of the National Football League qualified for AFC Cup.[18]
2005 Brothers Union (2)
2005–06 Not held
2006–07 Not held

Senior Division League

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Year Champions Note
2007–08 Fakirerpool Young Men's Club Dhaka Premier Division League merged with the Dhaka First Division Football League and re-introduced as the Dhaka Senior Division League, the second-tier of the B.League.[41] However, Fakirerpool were not invited to enter the 2008–09 B.League.[42]
2008–09 Not held The winners and runners-up of the Bashundhara Club Cup Championship Football were given entry to the 2009–10 Bangladesh League (B.League).[43]
2010 Fakirerpool Young Men's Club The champions, Fakirerpool, and the runners-up, Victoria SC, were both denied entry to the 2010–11 Bangladesh League (B.League).
2011 Not held
2012–13 Badda Jagoroni Sangsad Introduction of the Bangladesh Championship League as the second-tier, saw the league become the third-tier of the Bangladesh Premier League (Bangladesh League).[44]
2013–14 Not held
2014–2015 Fakirerpool Young Men's Club
2017 Swadhinata KS
2018-19 Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha
2019–20 Not held
2020–21 Not held
2021–22 Somaj Kallyan KS Mugda The champions, Somaj Kallyan KS Mugda, and the runners-up, Jatrabari KC, failed to attain professional league license, thus, third-place, PWD Sports Club, were promoted to the 2023–24 Bangladesh Championship League.[45]
2022–23 Not held
2023–24

Champions

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Champions by tier

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The list contains the total number of Dhaka League titles that clubs in Dhaka have attained by its different tiers.[33]

Club Titles Winning years
First tier (1948–2006)
Mohammedan SC 19[46] 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988–89, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002
Abahani Limited Dhaka 11 1974, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989–90, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2001
Dhaka Wanderers Club 7 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1960
Team BJMC/East Pakistan IDC 5 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1979
Victoria SC 3 1948, 1962, 1964
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 2 1997–98, 2000
Brothers Union 2 2003–04, 2005
East Pakistan Gymkhana 1 1949
Bengal Government Press 1 1952
Azad Sporting Club 1 1958
Second tier (2007–2011)
Fakirerpool Young Men's Club 2 2007–08, 2010
Third tier (2012–present)
Badda Jagoroni Sangsad 1 2012–13
Fakirerpool Young Men's Club 1 2014–2015
Swadhinata KS 1 2017
Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha 1 2018–19
Somaj Kallyan KS Mugda 1 2021–22

Champions by team

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The list includes the total number of Dhaka League titles that clubs in Dhaka have attained.[33]

Club Titles Winning years
Mohammedan 19 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988–89, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002[46]
Abahani Limited Dhaka 11 1974, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989–90, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2001
Dhaka Wanderers Club 7 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1960
Team BJMC/East Pakistan IDC 5 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1979
Victoria SC 3 1948, 1962, 1964
Fakirerpool Young Men's Club 3 2007–08, 2010, 2014–2015
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 2 1997–98, 2000
Brothers Union 2 2003–04, 2005
East Pakistan Gymkhana 1 1949
Bengal Government Press 1 1952
Azad Sporting Club 1 1958
Badda Jagoroni Sangsad 1 2012–13
Swadhinata KS 1 2017
Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha 1 2018–19
Somaj Kallyan KS Mugda 1 2021–22

Top scorers

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Dhaka League (East Pakistan)
Year Nationality Player Club Goals Source
1948–1953 Unknown
1954   Anwar Hossain Azad Sporting Club 26 [47]
1955–1957 Unknown
1958   Tajul Islam Manna Azad Sporting Club 25 [48]
1959   Ashraf Chowdhury Mohammedan SC 16 [49]
1960–1962 Unknown
1963   Qayyum Changezi Mohammedan SC 24 [50]
1964–1967 Unknown
1968   Ayub Dar East Pakistan IDC 31 [51]
1969   Kazi Salahuddin Wari Club 18 [52]
1970 Unknown
Dhaka First Division League & Premier Division League Golden Boot winners
Year Nationality Player Club Goals Source
1973   Kazi Salahuddin Abahani Krira Chakra 24 [52]
1974   Golam Shahid Neelu Dilkusha SC 16 [53]
1975   AKM Nowsheruzzaman Mohammedan SC 21 [54]
1976   Hafizuddin Ahmed Mohammedan SC 13 [55]
  Mohammad Abdul Halim PWD SC [55]
1977   Kazi Salahuddin Abahani Krira Chakra 14 [52]
1978   Enayetur Rahman Khan Mohammedan SC 13 [56]
1979   Kazi Salahuddin Abahani Krira Chakra 14 [52]
1980   Kazi Salahuddin Abahani Krira Chakra 15 [52]
1981   Mohammed Mohsin Brothers Union 20 [57]
1982   Abdus Salam Murshedy Mohammedan SC 27 [12]
1983   Arif Abdul Khalek Brothers Union 14 [58]
1984   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Abahani Krira Chakra 17 [59]
1985   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Abahani Krira Chakra 18 [59]
1986   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Abahani Krira Chakra 20 [59]
1987   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Abahani Krira Chakra 14 [59]
1988–89   Bijan Taheri Mohammedan SC 24 [60]
1989–90   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Abahani Limited Dhaka 11 [59]
1992   Azamat Abduraimov Mohammedan SC 17 [61]
1993   Oleg Zhivotnikov Mohammedan SC 13
1994   Andrey Kazakov Mohammedan SC 11
1995   Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 12 [17]
1996   Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 13 [17]
1997–98   Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 13 [17]
1999   Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 12 [17]
2000   Kennedy Abahani Limited Dhaka 17
2001   Emeka Ochilifu Muktijoddha Sangsad KC 10 [62]
  Rezaul Karim Liton Arambagh KS
2002   Colly Barnes Abahani Limited Dhaka 12 [63]
2003–04   Etigo Mohammedan SC 16 [64]
2005   Victor Edwards Brothers Union 11 [65]
Dhaka Senior Division League top scorers
Year Nationality Player Club Goals Source
2021–22   Munna Biswas Somaj Kallyan KS Mugda 9 [66]

Records

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Undefeated teams

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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.[67][46]

  • 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.[68][69]

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.[70]

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.[48]

1966 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated league champions for the second time in the East Pakistani era.[70]

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.[71]

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.[72]

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.[72]

1985–1990 : Mohammedan SC were undefeated in the Dhaka League 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 66 times and drawing 10 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).[67][46]

1996 : Mohammedan SC became the last undefeated champions of the Dhaka League before it was replaced as the top-tier by the B.League. They played 18 matches (15 wins and 3 draws), scored 30 and conceded 6. They finished the season with 48 points which was 5 more than runners-up Abahani Limited Dhaka.[24]

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.[73]

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.[72]

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.[74]

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.[75]

1967 : East Pakistan IDC (now Team BJMC) won their first ever league title as unbeaten league champions, defeating Mohammedan SC 1–0 in the title deciding match.[76]

1968 : East Pakistan IDC completed consecutive undefeated league triumphs, with their striker Ayub Dar finishing the season as the top scorer with 31 goals.[76]

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 Selimullah. They team was captained by Mostafa Hossain Mokul, while Sheikh Mohammad Aslam was their top scorer with 13 goals.[72]

Top goal scorers

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Dhaka League & Premier Division League all-time top scorers (1948–2006).
Rank Player Goals Years Club(s) Source
1   Sheikh Mohammad Aslam 177 1977–1996 Victoria SC (14), Team BJMC (30), Mohammedan SC (14), Abahani Krira Chakra (119) [59]
2   Kazi Salahuddin 139 1969–1984 Wari Club (18), Mohammedan SC (0), Abahani Krira Chakra (121) [52]
3   Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib 107 1989–2005 Mohammedan SC (50), Muktijoddha Sangsad KC (57) [17]
4   Enayetur Rahman Khan 90 1969–1981 EPGP, Victoria SC (17), Mohammedan SC, BIDC, WAPDA SC, Team BJMC, Rahmatganj MFS [56]
NB Stats from the 1972 season are not being counted because the league was cancelled after only seven matchdays.
Season: 1982
Number of goals: 27[38]
Team: Mohammedan SC
Season: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989–90
Total goals: 80[59]
Team: Abahani Limited Dhaka
Season: 1953–1967
Number of goals: 234[77]
Team: Azad Sporting Club, Mohammedan SC, Dhaka Wanderers, BIDC
Season: 1968
Number of goals: 31
Team: EPIDC
Season: 1969, 1973, 1977, 1979 and 1980
Total goals: 85[52]
Team: Abahani Limited Dhaka
NB Unrecognised records mainly include goals before the Independence of Bangladesh.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mahmood, Azam. "Football in Bangladesh". bdsportsvision.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part I". Dawn. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Senior Division back". The Daily Star. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  4. ^ ১৯ দল নিয়ে তৃতীয় বিভাগ ফুটবল লীগ Archived 12 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine (in Bengali) Jugantor. Retrieved 12 August 2021
  5. ^ Alam, Dhrubo (16 July 2018). "Kick, Score, Scream! The History of Football in Dhaka". icetoday.net. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
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