The ongoing dispute between club officials over the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) latest election has brought Dhaka club cricket to a standstill. All competitions, from Third Division to Premier Division, have been suspended amid the crisis.
Although the BCB had called a meeting today with Premier Division clubs in an effort to break the deadlock, the situation changed dramatically after the National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the Aminul Islam Bulbul-led board on Tuesday over allegations of irregularities and fraud in the election.
An 11-member ad hoc committee headed by Tamim Iqbal has since taken charge, with Tamim being one of the most vocal critics of the previous board.
The development has effectively strengthened the position of clubs that had been opposing the former BCB leadership, as many had already refused to take part in any competition under what they called an “illegitimate board.” With the change in administration, those clubs now see no barrier to returning to competition.
A senior Dhaka club official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Times of Bangladesh: “Since there has been a change in the board, there is no problem for our clubs to participate. We had repeatedly said we would not play under the previous illegal board. Now that a meeting is scheduled, we hope everything will be finalised.”
Allegations of irregularities in the 2025 election results had been raised by 42 clubs, including Abahani and Mohammedan, with Tamim leading the protest. The dispute between clubs and the board has since paralysed Dhaka club cricket. The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, scheduled for February, did not take place, while the Third Division remains suspended. The Second Division was partially completed, while the First Division began but was later halted midway.
