Bangladesh’s BPL schedule was jolted on January 15 when players from Chattogram Royals and Nokhali Express refused to take the field, leaving match officials waiting and the toss delayed at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
What looked like a routine league afternoon quickly turned into a standoff with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), with the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) backing a boycott threat unless board director and finance committee chairman M Nazmul Islam resigns. The flare-up comes amid wider tensions around Bangladesh cricket’s international planning, including the debate over playing World Cup matches in India.
The flashpoint was Nazmul’s remarks a day earlier, in which he argued that national cricketers should be asked to return the “crores of crores of taka” the board spends on them and questioned why players should be compensated if Bangladesh were to miss a major tournament. CWAB president Mohammad Mithun said the comments had “hurt the cricket fraternity” and issued an ultimatum: resign before Thursday’s matches, or players would boycott all cricket, starting with the BPL.
The immediate pressure point was the Dhaka fixture between Noakhali and Chattogram, scheduled for 1:00 pm local time. Reports claim that no team arrived at the venue before the start, and that the timing could be pushed back depending on the outcome of CWAB’s press conference and discussions.
Multiple team leaders had confirmed solidarity with the boycott call – including captains Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan and Mithun – alongside Noakhali coach Khaled Mahmum. With two BPL matches slated for January 15, the threat carried the weight of a wider shutdown if the dispute spread beyond one fixture.
The BCB, however, tried to draw a line between the board and the director’s comments. In a statement, it reiterated regret over what it called “objectionable” remarks and said formal disciplinary proceedings had begun, including a show-cause notice requiring a written response within 48 hours. The board also appealed to players to ensure the “smooth continuity” of the BPL, describing cricketers as the tournament’s main stakeholders.
But the boycott posture underlined a deeper fracture: players demanding accountability from governance, and the board attempting damage control mid-tournament. Reportedly a negotiation meeting between BCB officials and players’ representatives ended without a breakthrough, hardening the players’ stance going into matchday.
BCB sack director Nazmul Islam
As reported by the Bangaldesh outlet, Prothom Alo, the BCB has sacked their director, Nazmul Islam amid the boycott calls and the hardening stance of the players. The decision was made by the board during an emergency meeting held on Thursday.
The fans and the followers will now hope that the BPL returns to its schedule given the demands of the CWAB being met.
