The Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Sunday in Dhaka that it will deploy Criminal Investigation Department officers across all franchises during the 12th Bangladesh Premier League, confirming who will be involved, what action is being taken, when it will occur, where it was announced and why the decision was made.
Speaking after the BPL auction at a Dhaka hotel, BCB vice president Sakhawat Hossain confirmed that nine locally based cricketers accused of match fixing have effectively been excluded from the draft, although no formal announcement has been made. He added that the board is preparing for the highest level of vigilance throughout the competition, which begins on 26 December.
Sakhawat said the BCB is set to sign a memorandum of understanding with the CID to strengthen oversight. “We have taken a new initiative for the integrity of the game,” he said. “Our own integrity unit will, of course, be there, but we are also signing an MoU with the CID of Bangladesh Police. Two CID officers, one in uniform and one in plain clothes, will be assigned to each team.”
Explaining the decision, he described the CID as “Bangladesh’s top criminal investigation department”. He added, “They have access to all modern technology. They can even review WhatsApp conversations. They have all the necessary equipment. So we are partnering with the government. This shows our commitment to transparency and the transparency of the game, and that we have no lack of sincerity.”
The BCB hopes the arrangement will act as both a deterrent and a detection tool as it attempts to ensure that no fixing activity takes place during the upcoming tournament.
