Tight turnaround ahead of BPL 2025 leaves questions and gaps
With the player draft for the next Bangladesh Premier League season scheduled for November 17 and the tournament set to begin on December 19, the countdown to BPL 2025 is well underway. But even before teams are locked in, this cycle has already seen a major development.
As franchises prepared to submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the upcoming five-year cycle of the tournament, one name was notably absent: Fortune Barishal, the defending champions.
Bangladesh Premier League Governing Council Secretary Aminul Islam confirmed the development while speaking to reporters at Navana Tower on Tuesday: “The name you mentioned (Fortune Barishal) is not in the EOIs we received today,” Islam said.
Barishal’s withdrawal brings an end — at least temporarily — to their participation in the league until the next ownership cycle. Islam confirmed that the board received 11 EOIs, which are now under review.
Said Islam: “We have received these 11 EOIs and now we will be following the criteria we have while the next step is that we will assess their financial strength and the day after tomorrow (30th October) we will call them for individual interviews.”
Previous concerns over scheduling raised by Barishal
Cricbuzz previously reported that Fortune Barishal had requested the BCB to reschedule the tournament, citing limited time to assemble a competitive squad. While the board did not comment on this request officially, the proximity between the draft and the season opener likely influenced the franchise’s decision not to proceed.
With high stakes, tight deadlines, and player availability to consider, the next BPL edition is shaping up as both a logistical and reputational test for the board.
Corruption report looms large as BCB navigates next steps
Meanwhile, the BCB is also handling the fallout of a months-long inquiry into alleged match-fixing and integrity breaches during the 2024–25 BPL season. On Tuesday, the board received a 900-page final report compiled by an independent three-member investigation panel.
Said Islam, speaking to reporters: “We received an initial report in September, and today we received a consolidated report of 900 pages, which will not only be useful for the BPL inquiry but has also provided us with some guidelines. Since it’s a large volume, we are working on it, and after receiving the initial document, we had already begun work based on that.”
Cricbuzz reported that the investigation flagged several names suspected of wrongdoing, though the BCB has chosen not to make those identities public.
BCB Vice President Shakhawat Hossain said: “Look we don’t have the authority to disclose their names but everyone will understand eventually when they will not be allowed to play, and you must understand that we are not a court.”
“Everyone has individual rights and human rights so if someone have done something with a particular sport and his charge is framed in that case that individual will be kept away from the game,” Hossain continued.
The BCB has been cautious in its approach, balancing legal sensitivities with the need to maintain the sport’s integrity, especially as the next BPL season draws near.
Integrity unit established to oversee reform
In a bid to institutionalise governance reform, the board has launched the Bangladesh Cricket Board Integrity Unit (BCBIU), to be headed by Alex Marshall as independent chairman. The unit is expected to play a central role in implementing the recommendations of the report and ensuring transparency across domestic competitions.
As the BPL enters a new era — with one champion gone and scrutiny tightening — the next few weeks will be crucial in determining not just who takes the field, but how Bangladesh cricket sets its course forward.
