Bangladesh defender Tariq Kazi terminated his contract with football league giants Bashundhara Kings due to unpaid salaries, stated the center-back after spending the last six years with the club.
“I have legally terminated my contract with Bashundhara Kings due to outstanding salary payments,” stated Tariq through a social media (Facebook and Instagram) post on Friday.
“There are moments in a footballer’s life when silence becomes too heavy to carry,” he added.
“For over a year, I lived through a period of inconsistent and delayed salary payments, months of uncertainty that tested my strength both as a professional and as a person,” Tariq’s statement read.
Tariq was born and grew up in Finland, where he represented several national youth teams from U-16 to U-19 before coming to Bangladesh to join the Kings in 2019 and never left. The 25-year-old started representing the Bangladesh national team in 2021.
“This farewell is not born from anger, but from truth, dignity, and gratitude. I leave proud of every drop of sweat, every fight, every tackle, and every moment I represented Bashundhara Kings over the past six years,” said Tariq in the statement.
He continued, “I walk away from Bashundhara Kings with pride, not pain. Regardless of the circumstances, my heart is filled with special moments which I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Tariq also stated, “As I know too well, there are many players across the country facing even more difficult situations—professionals who continue to suffer in silence as clubs systematically fail to meet their salary obligations. Their struggles often go unheard.”
Club statement
Bashundhara Kings also gave a statement after Tariq’s announcement.
“Bashundhara Kings scouted Tariq Kazi back in 2018, and with his credible profile, the Kings took the initiative to bring him to Bangladesh.”
“Bashundhara Kings is proud to see the development of Tariq Kazi from a professional to a regular in the Bangladesh national team in recent years. Based on his incredible performance, he was awarded the Captain of Bashundhara Kings in multiple matches.”
“Today, Tariq Kazi and Bashundhara Kings parted ways after a successful journey of six years. The decision came from Tariq, and we respect his decision. We want to thank Tariq for his services over the years and wish him a successful future going forward,” said the club statement.
