The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is once again embroiled in controversy, this time concerning widespread non-payment of player dues. The World Cricketers Association (WCA) has issued a strong warning to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), stating that the league risks losing its credibility and access to top international players if these issues persist.
The current BPL season has been plagued by financial troubles, most notably involving the Durbar Rajshahi franchise.
The non-payment controversies surrounding the team have escalated to the point where the Bangladeshi government has been forced to intervene, forming a fact-finding committee to investigate the matter.
Government Intervention and Legal Threats
Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, Advisor to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, met with Durbar Rajshahi owner Md Shafiq Rahman to discuss the outstanding payments.
Following the meeting, Bhuyain, alongside BCB President Faruque Ahmed and BPL governing council member secretary Najmul Abedin, held a press conference. Bhuyain made it clear that legal action would be taken against franchises that fail to meet their financial obligations to players.
“We have formed a fact-finding committee and they will find out how those who did not have the ability could come and participate here,” Bhuyain stated. “I have spoken with the Rajshahi owner and I said that if you fail to pay it we will have to take legal steps.”
Bhuyain also expressed concern about the damage inflicted on the country’s image due to the actions of one team. He emphasized that the fact-finding committee would identify those responsible and take appropriate action.
BCB Admits Franchise Selection Errors
Najmul Abedin, BPL governing council member secretary, acknowledged the BCB’s role in the crisis, admitting that they had made errors in their selection of franchises. “I think we have not taken the right decision as far as giving it to this franchise,” Abedin said. “The thing that we should have taken into consideration like their experience and financial strength we did not take that into account and included them as a franchise and that is the reason we are facing this difficult situation.”
WCA’s Warning: Best Players Will Stay Away
Tom Moffat, Chief Executive of the WCA, expressed deep concern about the recurring payment issues in the BPL. He warned that the league’s reputation has been severely tarnished, and that top international players would likely avoid the tournament in the future if these problems are not resolved.
“We expect that leagues with non-payment issues will continue to lose access to the best players,” Moffat told Cricbuzz. “It’s disappointing to hear about more nonpayment issues in the Bangladesh Premier League, which has been a repeat offender over a number of years. These issues are unacceptable, they aren’t getting better, and it’s the players who make the event that are impacted.”
Moffat stressed the importance of contract protection and efficient enforcement mechanisms for players in officially sanctioned leagues. He lamented the current inability to effectively address transnational issues of this nature and called for global solutions. He also urged governing bodies involved in sanctioning offending leagues to take immediate action to ensure players receive their due payments.
The Future of the BPL
The current BPL season is set to conclude on February 7. As the current three-year cycle ends, the BCB will face the challenge of selecting franchises for the next cycle. The upcoming BCB elections will determine who leads the board and how they address the lessons learned from this season’s financial debacle. The future of the BPL and its ability to attract international talent hinges on the BCB’s commitment to ensuring timely payments and upholding the integrity of the league. Whether the new board, under its new president, Faruque Ahmed, can rectify the mistakes of the past remains to be seen.
