Controversy has erupted ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League auction as seven local cricketers from the preliminary list have been quietly removed from the final pool. None has been formally named by the board, and none has been formally charged. The question circulating in cricket circles is simple: have these players been excluded without evidence?
The Bangladesh Cricket Board insists the decision is neither punitive nor arbitrary. In a statement, the BCB explained that its president, Aminul Islam, recently received a comprehensive report from the independent investigation committee formed after last season. That report—compiled over eight months through interviews with more than sixty individuals—was then scrutinised by the Integrity Unit under the leadership of Alex Marshall.
According to the board, the Integrity Unit identified several players whose activities raised “red-flag concerns”. To protect the 12th edition of the BPL from reputational risk, the Governing Council decided not to extend invitations to those individuals for the auction.
When questioned, Governing Council member secretary Iftikhar Rahman was forthright. “We are not declaring anyone guilty. But we are now operating under a zero-tolerance policy. If a player is flagged, we cannot take the risk of bringing them into a high-profile league watched worldwide.”
The board also clarified that the exclusion applies only to the BPL; the players may compete freely in other domestic competitions. Nevertheless, several of them allege that the decision lacks transparency and that they have been denied the chance to defend themselves.
Responding to the criticism, Iftikhar said, “Yes, they say there is no proof shown to them. But an inquiry team headed by a former judge does not produce baseless findings. They produced a 900-page report after months of work. They reached conclusions that we cannot simply ignore.”
He also stressed that participation in the auction is not a guaranteed right. “Even among overseas cricketers, more than 500 applied and we shortlisted only 260. The governing council has full authority. We are within our jurisdiction.”
The seven cricketers believed to be excluded—Enamul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, Alauddin Babu, Sanjamul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, Nihaduzzaman and Shafiul Islam—are considering legal options. But the BCB maintains that its decision is final and driven solely by the need to protect the tournament’s integrity.