There is light at the end of the tunnel for Dhaka club cricket. After a prolonged standstill, the Dhaka Premier League appears set to return, with the country’s most competitive domestic tournament expected to begin either in the final week of this month or the first week of May.
The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) held a meeting with Premier League clubs on Thursday evening at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. BCB ad hoc committee chief Tamim Iqbal was also in attendance.
Ten of the twelve Premier League clubs were represented at the meeting. Legends of Rupganj and Brothers Union were unable to send delegates due to prior commitments, though other club representatives confirmed both sides are in agreement with what was discussed.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, club officials were cautiously optimistic. Mohamedan Sporting Club representative Ziaur Rahman Topu indicated the league could begin somewhere between 25 April and 5 May, with a transfer window pencilled in for 22 April, when clubs will finalise their squads.
Due to time constraints, the Super League stage has been dropped this season. The title will instead be decided across a single round-robin league of 11 matches per club.
In previous seasons, matches were spread across three venues, meaning a single round would stretch over two days. This year, the BCB plans to use six grounds simultaneously so that each round is completed within a single day. Likely venues include Bashundhara Sporting Club, Pubali Krira Shikkha Pratisthan (PKSP), Silicon Sports Valley, and Cricketers Academy.
To help clubs cover running costs, the BCB will provide Tk 25 lakh to each participating club, along with lunch arrangements on match days. The CCDM has also committed to supplying cricket equipment based on individual club requirements.
Rain contingencies were also discussed, with a reserve day between each round under consideration — though no final decision has been reached on that front. The BCB will announce the official transfer date and full schedule in due course.
