The Dhaka Premier Division Football League () was the top-tier football league in Bangladesh from 1993 to 2006. It replaced the First Division as both the highest level of the Dhaka Football League and the country's top-tier football competition. Following the introduction of the Premier Division, the First Division was reclassified as the second-tier league until 2006. Together, the Premier Division and First Division constituted the Senior Division of the Dhaka Football League. Both league's were operated by the Dhaka Metropolitan Football Association (DMFA) under the supervision of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).
Upon the creation of the country's first national top-tier professional football league, the Bangladesh Football League (formerly B.League) in 2007, the Premier Division was merged with the First Division, and was re-introduced as the second-tier, the sole Senior Division. Finally, after the introduction of a national second-tier professional football league, the Bangladesh Championship League in 2012, it became the third-tier.
History
In 1993, the Dhaka Metropolitan Football Association (DMFA) under the supervision of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) established the Premier Division as the top tier of the Dhaka Football League, replacing the First Division, which subsequently became the second-tier. The inaugural Premier Division season featured the ten highest-placed clubs from the 1991–92 First Division: Dhaka Abahani, Mohammedan, Brothers Union, Agrani Bank, Muktijoddha Sangsad, Arambagh, PWD, Wari, Rahmatganj, and Victoria.
The league's first two seasons were sponsored by Bangladesh Tobacco Company, which agreed to an initial Tk 18 lakh sponsorship deal with the BFF covering both the Premier Division and First Division. Together, the two divisions constituted the Senior Division of the Dhaka Football League, a designation previously held solely by the First Division. The inaugural Premier Division match was played on 11 June 1993 between Dhaka Abahani and PWD, ending in a 1–1 draw. Abahani's Ahmed Ali scored the league's first goal and also received the competition's first red card during the same match. Dhaka Abahani went on to win the inaugural title.
The 3 point system (three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss) was implemented from the 1995 Premier Division. The 1997–98 Premier Division title triumph by Muktijoddha Sangsad ended the 17-year league dominance of Dhaka Abahani and Mohammedan.
Beginning with the 1997–98 Asian Club Championship, the Premier Division champions qualified for the AFC Club Championship, with the 1996 Premier Division champions Mohammedan becoming the league's first representatives in the competition. In 2000, the National Football League was introduced as a nationwide competition with the top teams from each Premier Division season qualifying. Although it was the first national football league in Bangladesh, it remained outside the domestic league system, operating as a tournament without a promotion and relegation system. Following the reintroduction of the AFC Club Championship after the 2001–02 edition, continental qualification was reserved exclusively for the winners of national competitions. With the introduction of the AFC Cup, the AFC's second-tier club competition, in 2004, qualification places were awarded to the champions of the National Football League and the winners of the Federation Cup.
In 2000, the league also signed a three-year sponsorship deal with National Bank Limited worth Tk 45 lakh. Penalty shootouts to decide tied matches, inspired by the J.League format, were introduced from the 2000 Premier Division. A win in regulation time earned 3 points and a loss 0 points. If a match was level after 90 minutes, it proceeded directly to a penalty shootout, with the shootout winner receiving 2 points and the loser 1 point. The system was reverted from the 2003–04 season.
Following the creation of the country's first national top-tier professional football league, the Bangladesh Football League (formerly B.League), in 2007, the Premier Division was merged with the First Division and reintroduced as the second-tier, becoming the sole Senior Division of the Dhaka Football League.
Competition format and sponsorship Timeline
EditionParticipantsImportant events199310Held in a double round-robin format. A relegation play-off was held between the 8th and 9th placed teams instead of using goal difference to determine relegation.none21994Held in a double round-robin format. A relegation play-off was held between the 8th and 9th placed teams instead of using goal difference to determine relegation. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Fakirerpool and Bangladesh Boysnone1995Held in a double round-robin format. The three-point system was adopted, replacing the previous 2-point-for-a-win system. Under the new system, teams received 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Rahmatganj and Farashganjnone1996Held in a double round-robin format. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: East End and Bangladesh Boys11997–98Held in a double round-robin format, after which the top five teams qualify for the Super League, played in a single round-robin format, while the bottom five teams qualify for the Relegation League, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Victoria and Rahmatganj11998not held199910The competition was held in a double round-robin format, after which the top four teams qualify for the Super League, played in a single round-robin format. The bottom six teams qualify for the Lower Six Round, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Following this, the bottom three teams compete in the Relegation League, which is likewise played in a single round-robin format. Following clubs are promoted from First Division (1997–98): Badda Jagoroni and Mirpur Chalantikanone22000The competition was held in a double round-robin format, after which the top four teams qualify for the Super 4 League, which is played in a single round-robin format. The top three teams from the Super 4 League then qualify for the Super 3 League, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Meanwhile, the bottom six teams qualify for the Lower Six Round, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Following this, the bottom three teams compete in the Relegation League, which is likewise played in a single round-robin format. Tied matches were decided by penalty shootouts. A regulation-time win earned 3 points and a loss 0 points. If a match was tied after 90 minutes, the penalty shootout winner received 2 points and the loser 1 point. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Victoria and Dhanmondi12001The competition was held in a double round-robin format, after which the top three teams qualify for the Super League, played in a single round-robin format. The bottom seven teams qualify for the Lower Seven Round, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Following this, the bottom three teams compete in the Relegation League, which is likewise played in a single round-robin format. Tied matches were decided by penalty shootouts. A regulation-time win earned 3 points and a loss 0 points. If a match was tied after 90 minutes, the penalty shootout winner received 2 points and the loser 1 point. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Agrani Bank and Fakirerpoolnone2002Held in a double round-robin format, after which the top five teams qualify for the Super League, played in a single round-robin format, while the bottom five teams qualify for the Relegation League, which is also played in a single round-robin format. Tied matches were decided by penalty shootouts. A regulation-time win earned 3 points and a loss 0 points. If a match was tied after 90 minutes, the penalty shootout winner received 2 points and the loser 1 point. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Victoria and Badda Jagoroninone2003–04Held in a double round-robin format. The penalty shootout rule for tied matches was abolished. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Dhaka Wanderers and Sheikh Russelnone32005Held in a double round-robin format. A championship play-off was held between the 1st and 2nd placed teams instead of using goal difference to determine the championship. Following clubs are promoted from First Division: Fakirerpool, Farashganj and Dipalinone2005–06not held2006–07not held
Relegation EditionParticipantsRelegated positionsRelegated 1Relegated 2Relegated 3WithdrewRelegated to199310Relegation play-off (8th vs 9th) & 10thRahmatganjVictoriaNoneNone1994 First Division199410Relegation play-off (8th vs 9th) & 10thBangladesh BoysPWDNoneNone1995 First Division1995109th & 10thRahmatganjWariNoneNone1996 First Division1996109th & 10thEast EndBangladesh BoysNoneNone 1997–98 First Division1997–98109th & 10thAgrani BankVictoriaNoneNone1998 First Division 1999 First Division1998not held1999109th & 10thFakirerpoolMirpur ChalantikaNoneNone2000 First Division2000109th & 10thBadda JagoroniVictoriaNoneNone2001 First Division2001109th & 10thAgrani BankFakirerpoolNoneNone2002 First Division2002109th & 10thRahmatganjFarashganjNoneNone2003–04 First Division2003–04108th, 9th & 10thVictoriaBadda JagoroniDhanmondi ClubNone2005 First Division2005108th, 9th & 10thDhaka WanderersFakirerpoolDipaliNone2005–06 First Division 2007–08 Senior Division 2005–06not held2006–07not held
Sponsors PeriodSponsorTournament name1993–1994Bangladesh Tobacco CompanySTAR Football League1995Lever Brothers Limited Lifebuoy Premier League1996Danish Condensed MilkDanish Condensed Milk Dhaka Premier League1997–98None1999Keya Cosmetics LimitedKeya Cosmetics Dhaka Premier Division League2000–2002National Bank LimitedNational Bank Dhaka Premier Division Football League2003–2004Western UnionWestern Union Dhaka Premier Division Football League2005Premier Bank PLC.Premier Bank Premier Division Football League
Champions
The list includes the total number of league titles each club has attained.
Club Titles Winning yearsMohammedan 4 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002 Dhaka Abahani 3 1994, 1995, 2001 Muktijoddha 2 1997–98, 2000 Brothers Union 2 2003–04, 2005
Doubles Two teams have won the double of the Premier Division and the Federation Cup:
ClubNumberSeasonsMohammedan2002Brothers Union2005
Records Top goalscorers
Year Nationality Player Club Goals Source1993Oleg ZhivotnikovMohammedan131994Andrey KazakovMohammedan111995Imtiaz Ahmed NakibMuktijoddha121996Imtiaz Ahmed NakibMuktijoddha131997–98Imtiaz Ahmed NakibMuktijoddha131999Imtiaz Ahmed NakibMuktijoddha122000KennedyDhaka Abahani172001Emeka OchilifuMuktijoddha10Rezaul Karim LitonArambagh2002Colly BarnesDhaka Abahani122003–04EtigoMohammedan162005Victor EdwardsBrothers Union11
Unbeaten teams Dhaka Abahani (1994) 1994 : Captained by Monem Munna, Dhaka Abahani played 18 matches in the season, recording 10 wins and 8 draws. They scored 33 goals and conceded 8, finishing with 28 points—three points ahead of runners-up Muktijoddha.
Mohammedan (1996) 1996 : Mohammedan played 18 matches in the season, recording 15 wins and 3 draws. They scored 36 goals and conceded 9, finishing with 48 points—five points ahead of runners-up Dhaka Abahani.
Asian Competition
AFC Club Championship Mohammedan qualified for the 1997–98 Asian Club Championship as 1996 Premier Division champions. Muktijoddha qualified for the 1999–2000 Asian Club Championship as 1997–98 Premier Division champions. Muktijoddha qualified for the 2001–02 Asian Club Championship as 2000 Premier Division champions.
Team Appearances 1994–95–1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Dhaka Mohammedan 1 DNP QS DNP – DNP – Muktijoddha Sangsad 2 – QS R16
Asian Cup Winners' Cup