The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that strict mobile phone and communication restrictions will be enforced in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) during the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Alex Marshall, Independent Chairman of the BCB Integrity Unit, warned that any breach of the rules will result in immediate ejection and revocation of accreditation for the remainder of the tournament.
Speaking on Thursday at the BCB office in Gulshan, Marshall said, “From the moment players, match officials, and coaches arrive at the ground until the last ball has been bowled in the match, there should be no communications in the PMOA. No mobile phones, no smartwatches, nothing.”
He explained that the PMOA is a protected area where only essential personnel are allowed. “There are a couple of exceptions, like a doctor might need a phone for a medical emergency. A media manager might need to carry a phone but only use it for the purposes they’re allowed, and the team manager might be able to have a phone but they can only use it for team-related matters to do with that match. Not for social calls, not for anything else,” Marshall said.
Marshall also raised concerns about past breaches of the rules. “I can already see from my live investigations that the PMOA regulations were breached last year and in previous years. There was communication from inside the PMOA to people outside. That helps to facilitate breaches of the anti-corruption code and it could lead to inside information being leaked to people who would use it for nefarious purposes.”
“While a live investigation into anti-corruption breaches may be newsworthy, the process must remain confidential. I’m pleased that in the first weeks of the new unit, none of our work has appeared in the media. We have maintained professionalism and confidentiality and aim to learn from past incidents,” Marshall said.”
For this year’s BPL, he confirmed, “No one will enter the players’ and match official area unless they have PMOA accreditation and that’s because you’re a player or a match official or you are essential to running the match. Not because you’re big or important or you hold a powerful position or you bully the security guard on the door.”
Marshall was clear on the consequences of violations: “No phones will be used within the PMOA and there will be no communication and if anyone is caught breaching those rules, they will immediately be ejected and their accreditation will be removed for the rest of the BPL.”
