With the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) set to begin later this month, the opening ceremony was scheduled for December 24 with performances by Habib Wahid and Pritom. However, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is expected to return to the country that night, an event likely to draw large crowds nationwide, raising concerns over security arrangements for the ceremony.
Sources close to the developments said the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not yet received security clearance from the National Security Intelligence (NSI) or the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. In the absence of approval, the opening ceremony now faces the possibility of cancellation.
BCB officials indicated that while the opening ceremony remains uncertain, plans are in place to stage a closing ceremony. A formal decision is expected soon, with the board keen to remain aligned with the government’s stance amid security considerations.
As an alternative, BCB explored the option of hosting the ceremony in Sylhet, where the 12th edition of the BPL is scheduled to begin on December 26. A BCB director said, “We are still considering how an opening ceremony could be organised. If it cannot be held in Dhaka, a scaled-down programme in Sylhet is also an option. Discussions are ongoing.”
However, TIMES has learned from another source that the Sylhet plan was also shelved following objections from BCB’s Head of Turf Management, Tony Hemming. He reportedly stressed that producing a match-ready wicket would be difficult without at least three days of uninterrupted preparation, as the ceremony would take place on the main playing surface. Consequently, BCB may have stepped back from the Sylhet proposal as well.
The BPL will begin in Sylhet on December 26, with the opening leg running until January 2. The Chattogram phase will be held from January 5 to January 12, before the tournament returns to Dhaka on January 15. The season will conclude with the final on January 23. Reserve days have been allocated for the playoffs and the final, and six teams will compete in this year’s tournament.
