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Drama continues in BPL! Missed bank guarantees leave team preparations hanging by a thread

Rajgeeta Yadav

Bangladesh Premier League [Source: AFP]Bangladesh Premier League [Source: AFP]

Bangladesh cricket has been making headlines lately, and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is once again at the center of attention, this time because of financial issues involving the teams.

The BPL governing council had given all five participating franchises an extra five days to submit a mandatory bank guarantee of BDT 10 crore each. This guarantee is basically a financial assurance that teams must provide so the tournament can run smoothly.

Notably, the original deadline was extended to November 18, as several teams asked for more time. But even after the extension, things did not go as planned. 

Three BPL teams managed to submit bank guarantees

Only three teams, Dhaka Capitals, Rajshahi Warriors, and Rangpur Riders, managed to submit their guarantees. Even among these, one team reportedly submitted less money than required. The other two teams, Chattogram Royals and Sylhet Titans, failed to submit anything at all.

Speaking to The Daily Star, BPL governing council secretary Iftekhar Rahman Mithu said that the board might need to extend the deadline once again. He explained that if a team does not submit the guarantee, their franchise fee of BDT 2 crore will be taken by the board. 

"If any franchise fails to provide the bank guarantee, their franchise fee of BDT 2 crore will be forfeited. But proceeding without the guarantee risks repeating past issues. Teams can also submit a Fixed Deposit lien, which we can break at any time," he said.

Amid all this uncertainty, the BPL is preparing for something significant, the return of the players’ auction after 12 long years. The last time the BPL held an auction was in 2012 and 2013, during the first two editions. After that, the league switched to a draft system for nine consecutive seasons. This year, however, the auction format is back.

The auction is scheduled for November 23 at a hotel in Dhaka. All five franchises, Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet, will take part as they build their squads for the 12th edition of the T20 league. 

The process will start with local players, followed by foreign players. Each team must pick at least 11 local players and can have up to 15. Players who are signed directly by teams won’t be part of the auction.