The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is edging closer to bringing an end to its long-running dispute with Dhaka’s clubs, with plans now in motion to restart the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), the country’s leading domestic List A competition. The move comes after a decisive round of talks between BCB officials and representatives of local clubs, with the resumption of the DPL viewed as a major financial lifeline for a large group of players, including a number of national-level stars who have grown frustrated by the tournament’s prolonged uncertainty.
BCB talks, proposed dates and domestic structure
- The BCB has targeted May 5 as a tentative opening date for the DPL.
- The player transfer window is expected to conclude by April 22.
- A final call will be taken on April 12, when the board meets representatives from clubs in the lower tiers.
- Officials say the delay has also been made more complicated by the domestic pathway, where competitions are linked through promotion and relegation.
- Under the existing system, two teams are set to move down from the DPL to the First Division, while two sides are expected to rise from the lower level into List A cricket.
- Neither the First Division League nor the Second Division League has been completed with full participation, adding another layer of scheduling pressure.
Thursday’s meeting was chaired by BCB interim president Tamim Iqbal and attended by ad hoc committee members, alongside representatives from 10 of the 12 DPL clubs. Legends of Rupganj and Brothers Union did not attend due to prior commitments.
Bangladesh Cricket League setup and DPL format changes
With the DPL in focus, the BCB is also planning to stage the opening two rounds of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), described as the nation’s only franchise-based first-class competition and involving four teams. The BCL is expected to begin on April 21 and is intended to function as preparation ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming Test series against Pakistan in May.
- After the first two rounds, the BCL is expected to pause so the DPL can resume.
- DPL matches are likely to be staged across six venues in and around Dhaka.
Club officials indicated that this season’s DPL will differ from the traditional model. Unlike previous editions that featured a Super League stage after the round-robin phase, the title is expected to be decided through a single round-robin format. The change is linked to time constraints. The board will also provide Tk 25 lakh to each team to support operational costs.
In addition, cricket equipment will be supplied by the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), based on what each club requests. There was further discussion on inserting reserve days between rounds to reduce the impact of rain, although no final agreement has been reached on that point.
Safety requirements and talks with national captains
Tamim, who suffered a heart attack during the previous edition of the DPL, has made it compulsory for all venues to have ICU-equipped ambulances during the tournament.
Separately, Tamim also held informal discussions with a large group of national players before meeting the three captains—Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Litton Das—at the academy dining area of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
“We had a meeting and he insisted that he has full faith in us,” one of the captains said on Thursday. “He [Tamim] assured us that he will give us all-out support and wanted us to be accountable,” the captain added.
