Bangladesh Cricket Board interim chief Tamim Iqbal has made it clear that, if he is elected president and takes the role on a long-term basis, he does not want the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) to be staged merely to tick a box. Speaking shortly after the current BCB leadership officially announced disciplinary action tied to anti-corruption rules, Tamim also flagged franchise selection and payment stability as the central problems that have repeatedly threatened the league’s credibility since its launch in 2012.
The BCB said that five people were found guilty of violating the ICC’s anti-corruption code in the aftermath of the latest review. For years, BPL operations have remained a recurring concern inside the board, with player remuneration continuing to be a major sticking point and improvements proving slow. Franchise-related financial arrangements have repeatedly surfaced as one of the board’s toughest challenges, and the latest edition has brought similar issues to the surface.
Tamim pointed to the participation of Sylhet Titans and Noakhali Express, saying both teams took part in the tournament despite reports that they did not have formal agreements with the board in place.
“We will not do BPL for the sake of BPL and, if necessary, we will not do BPL,” Tamim said, adding that he believes strongly in the competition as a product while questioning whether the current structure can deliver the intended standards. He described BPL as something Bangladesh can build on, and argued that assistance can be sought from experienced bodies internationally if the domestic plan is not strong enough.
“I personally am a very big believer in BPL. I think BPL should be regular and should be done in the right way, but the problem is selection of the franchise,” Tamim said. He stressed that the franchise model is the biggest determining factor: a financially secure franchise with no payment problems removes much of the risk from the equation.
According to Tamim, payment failures have been the recurring theme for more than a decade. “In 14 years, this one topic—payment issues—has come up 14 times. Not getting money, not giving money, this is a major topic,” he said. While acknowledging that there are other complications, he argued that the fastest route to fixing recurring controversies is to secure the right franchises, even if that is difficult to achieve.
“But the position we have taken from our place is our responsibility; it is our job to bring in the best possible franchises. So we will try to do that,” Tamim added.
Looking ahead, he said he is also open to bringing overseas investors into the BPL, but only if they are credible and well-regarded. In his view, attracting franchises from successful leagues around the world would immediately strengthen the league’s value.
“I am a big believer in that, but it has to be reputed foreign investors,” Tamim said. He suggested a two-step approach: first engaging with domestic corporate groups, then pursuing established franchise owners from other countries’ leagues. “When teams like that come in, the value of the league automatically grows,” he added.
Tamim further argued that Bangladesh can be an attractive destination for franchise investment because it is a relatively low-cost market. “Bangladesh is actually a very cheap market compared to others. Even running a full franchise here costs significantly less than in other leagues,” he said, adding that if managed correctly, it can become profitable for all involved. He also noted that corporate houses have increasingly been buying franchises across a range of tournaments in recent times.
On the question of accountability for previous BPL controversies, Tamim said those responsible should be held answerable. He referred specifically to the case of former BCB president Aminul Islam, who, Tamim said, had allowed a franchise to take part despite reportedly being warned about the owner’s background.
“Whether to go legal (against those who were involved in the BPL mishap) is a board decision,” Tamim said. He also pointed out that a separate BPL committee exists, meaning it would not be fair for him to detail how directly earlier board heads were involved. “Secondly, there is a separate committee for BPL, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to say exactly how directly previous board presidents were involved,” he said.
However, Tamim maintained that anyone who served on the relevant bodies during those seasons must be accountable. “If they were part of those committees during those seasons, they must also be accountable. Why was 3 crore taken instead of a 10-crore bank guarantee? Why was someone given a franchise after being specifically flagged?” he asked.
He singled out Bulbul Bhai, stating that the BPL Governing Council chairman during the last BPL has to respond to the key questions surrounding the process. “Bulbul Bhai was the BPL Governing Council chairman for the last BPL. He has to be accountable and answer all of these things,” Tamim concluded.
