The Bangladesh Premier League begins on Thursday in Sylhet, but for Chattogram Royals the opening of the 12th season has been dominated by uncertainty over who will lead them from the dugout.
Less than a week before their first match, Chattogram’s coaching structure collapsed amid a change in ownership, forcing the Bangladesh Cricket Board to step in and appoint a new head coach hours before the tournament began.
Chattogram had initially announced Mominul Haque as head coach for the season. That decision was later reversed, with the franchise naming former South Africa all-rounder Justin Miles Kemp as his replacement. The appointment was made public on the evening of 20 December, raising expectations that Kemp’s international experience would bolster a side heavily criticised in the previous edition.
However, doubts soon emerged over whether Kemp would arrive in Bangladesh in time for the competition. On Wednesday, those concerns intensified, and by Thursday it was confirmed that the 48-year-old would not be taking up the role at all.
Following a formal letter from Chattogram Royals’ management, the BCB assumed control of the franchise and moved quickly to stabilise the situation. Mizanur Rahman Babul was appointed head coach, while former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar Suman was named team director.
Kemp’s absence leaves Chattogram without the overseas expertise they had planned to rely on, particularly in developing their pace-bowling resources. Babul, a familiar figure in domestic cricket, now inherits responsibility for preparing the side at short notice.
Former Bangladesh batter Tushar Imran remains with the squad as batting coach and mentor, offering some continuity amid the disruption. Bashar, meanwhile, resigned from his position on the BPL technical committee to take up his new role with the team.
Chattogram Royals are scheduled to play Noakhali Express in their opening match on Thursday evening, but the focus remains on whether a hastily assembled coaching staff can bring stability to a side thrown into turmoil on the eve of the season.
