The First Division Cricket League has been postponed once again. The league was originally scheduled to start on the 11th of this month, but it will now begin on December 14 in Dhaka. The delay is primarily due to clubs boycotting the league over objections to the latest election of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) executive committee.
However, Adnan Rahman Dipon, chairman of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), stated on Wednesday that the league has been postponed by three days due to ground-related issues.
43 clubs have boycotted all domestic leagues, accusing the current BCB executive committee of election fraud. Although team changes were finalized in the first week of November, and the league was initially scheduled to start on November 18, none of the eight First Division clubs participated. BCB had even called club officials to try to resolve the issue, and the Cricket Welfare Association of Bangladesh (COWAB) also attempted to ensure participation from all clubs.
While the tournament was originally planned to feature 20 teams, the First Division Cricket League will now take place with 12 teams. At a press conference held at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dipon said, “The First Division Cricket League was supposed to start on the 11th, but due to some ground issues, we are now beginning on the 14th. We will release the schedule today, and we are trying to hold the opening match at Mirpur Stadium.”
Earlier, clubs had announced through the Club Cricket Organizers Association in several press conferences that they would not participate in the league. However, none of the clubs have officially sent a letter to either BCB or CCDM. As a result, the tournament committee is preparing the schedule with 20 teams, including the boycotting clubs such as Surya Tarun, Orient, Amber Sporting, Partex Sporting, Kakrail Boys, Khelaghar, Kalabagan, and Gazi Tyres.
Regarding the schedule, despite uncertainty Dipon added, “First of all, we have not received any formal letter from any club. I am repeatedly saying that we are publishing the schedule with 20 clubs. Neither BCB nor CCDM has received any such letter. The protest from Mohammedan was based on the chairman’s statement… we have not received any formal negative letter stating whether they will play or not.”
