BCB yet to decide on BPL as losses cast doubt over next season

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not taken a final decision on holding the next edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), with consecutive financial losses putting the tournament’s future in question.

BCB president Tamim Iqbal said the board would not organize the league simply for the sake of staging it, stressing that it would only proceed if adequate preparations could be ensured.

The uncertainty comes after the board suffered a Tk 199 million loss from the last BPL season. The tournament generated Tk 361 million in revenue against Tk 562 million in expenditure, including more than Tk 110 million spent on operating the Chattogram franchise. The previous edition had also resulted in a Tk 146 million loss.

A BCB director, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been little discussion on the BPL at the latest board meeting, but several board members believed the tournament should not be held if it continued to incur losses using board funds.

The uncertainty has raised concerns among domestic cricketers, many of whom depend on the BPL for a significant portion of their annual earnings. Bangladesh ODI vice-captain Towhid Hridoy said the absence of the tournament would be a major financial setback for players, although he acknowledged the board’s concerns over recurring franchise-related controversies.

Despite the uncertainty, the BPL Governing Council is continuing preparations for a January window. Chairman Fahim Sinha said discussions with existing franchises were progressing and that Dhaka, Rangpur and Rajshahi would be invited to participate under their current agreements.

He also confirmed that the Dhaka franchise had settled all outstanding payments and said the BCB would soon invite applications for new franchises. According to board officials, several business groups have already expressed preliminary interest, with discussions still at an early stage.