The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Governing Council held talks on Thursday with organisations interested in owning teams for the upcoming tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sought clarity from the franchises on various matters, including their objectives and plans.
While 11 organisations had expressed interest in joining the league, only nine were invited to the meeting. Chittagong Kings, one of the league’s oldest franchises, was excluded despite reiterating their interest in representing Chittagong. The franchise has now accused the BCB of contempt of court for not inviting them.
In a press release on Thursday evening, Chittagong Kings rejected the BCB’s explanation that the franchise had failed to submit the required pay order for the franchise fee. The Kings described the board’s claim as “contrary to reality.”
The release added, “SQ Sports has already informed Iftikhar Rahman Mithu, a member of the BPL Governing Council, that the franchise fee will be submitted after resolving the previous dispute. Additionally, SQ Sports has formally submitted a letter to the BCB and the BPL Governing Council, along with a High Court order, clearly outlining the status of the payment in line with the court’s instructions.”
Expressing strong dissatisfaction, SQ Sports said, “We have always respected the BCB and the BPL Governing Council. However, disregarding the ongoing legal process and ignoring a court order is both unfair and unlawful.”
