The ongoing transfer window for the 2013-14 football season has been extended to October 31 from October 23, deferring the start of the Federation Cup to the first week of November and without any qualifying round.

The Professional Football League Committee (PFLC)'s initial plan was to start the Federation Cup from October 25, two days after the completion of the players' transfers. But the committee yesterday decided to start the season's curtaining-raising tournament from November 3, where ten clubs of the Bangladesh Premier League and seven clubs from the Bangladesh Championship League will participate.

"Considering the long holiday for Durga Puja and Eid-ul-Azha, we have extended the deadline of the players' transfer window," said PFLC chairman

Abdus Salam Murshedy. "We have decided not to stage the qualifying round due to the political situation and also for the lack of interest from the teams which generally participate in the qualifying round."

However, it has been learnt that PFLC had to extend the deadline after being pressurised by Mohammedan SC. It has also been learnt that the Bangladesh Football Federation have not sent any invitation at all to any clubs such as the university teams, services teams and teams from outside the capital till yesterday.

Murshedy said that staging the qualification round of the Federation Cup would have disrupted their overall schedule for the season as they have little time before the start of the main competition on November 3 and want to start the Bangladesh Premier League at the latter part of November.

The committee also referred Mohammedan's complaint against four players to the Players' Status Committee and asked them to reach a decision immediately.

It may be mentioned that Zahid Hossain, Shakil Ahmed, Nahidul Islam, Mamun Mia - had reportedly taken money from Mohammedan as well as Sheikh Russel KC and according to the league bylaws, if they are proved guilty, they may face punishment.

The league committee also decided to recommend the BFF executive committee to lift dug-out band on BFF executive committee members during their respective club's matches.

Murshedy said they would also recommend the BFF executive committee to include club representatives in the Referees' Committee, even though he could not give satisfactory explanation behind such recommendation.

However, it has been learnt that the committee did this under pressure from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.