Controversies and allegations have long been a recurring feature of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). However, the situation surrounding the upcoming edition has surpassed all previous concerns. Even before the tournament begins, the failure of franchises to submit mandatory bank guarantees has plunged the entire event into serious uncertainty.
Under tournament regulations, each franchise is required to submit a bank guarantee of Tk100 million. Despite repeated extensions granted by the Governing Council, no team managed to deposit the full amount within the stipulated deadline. As a result, the player draft has once again been postponed and rescheduled for 30 November.
According to sources, none of the five franchises initially fulfilled the complete guarantee requirement. Dhaka Capitals reportedly deposited half the amount, while Sylhet Titans submitted only a partial sum. There remains confusion over the exact amounts deposited by Rangpur, Rajshahi and Chattogram, with even Governing Council members offering conflicting accounts. Many believe this reluctance by franchise owners has effectively held the Governing Council “hostage”.
Member Secretary Iftikhar Ahmed, however, claimed that Dhaka, Rangpur and Rajshahi have provided full guarantees, while Sylhet and Chattogram failed to deposit any funds at all. He said the deadline for submitting guarantees was extended from 13 November to 18 November, yet compliance remained incomplete. With several franchises requesting further time, postponing the draft became the only viable option.
The most alarming situation involves the Chattogram franchise, which reportedly has not deposited a single taka. Consequently, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is considering taking over responsibility for the team and seeking external investors to ensure the current season proceeds.
Several Governing Council members have expressed concern that running the tournament on the guarantees of only three franchises is unrealistic. As a result, the BCB is now exploring alternative plans, including attracting new investors and reassessing the franchise model. Unless these financial and administrative issues are resolved swiftly, the future of this year’s BPL remains in serious doubt.
GLIVE/TSN