player payments

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed has reassured players participating in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) of receiving their payments, following reports of delayed disbursements by several franchises. As per the league’s regulations, franchises are required to pay half of the players’ contract amounts before the season starts, 25% during the tournament, and the remaining 25% post-tournament. Despite this, most franchises, except Fortune Barishal, have yet to comply with the pre-season payment schedule. The seven-team tournament, which kicked off on December 30, has faced criticism for its handling of financial obligations. Addressing the situation, Ahmed, who assumed the BCB presidency in August, confirmed ongoing discussions with franchise owners to resolve the payment delays. However, he refrained from providing specific reasons for the lack of requisite bank guarantees from the franchises. Historically, the BCB has secured bank guarantees from franchises to ensure player payments, stepping in when franchises failed to meet their obligations. This year, however, the absence of such guarantees has introduced uncertainty. “We have communicated with the BPL franchise owners since day one,” Ahmed stated. “It doesn’t mean the players will not get their payments. We have taken different steps to ensure payments and have spoken with franchises to foster a collaborative approach.” This financial controversy follows a chaotic start to the BPL season, marked by a ticketing mishap on the opening day that led to irate fans breaching the main gate of the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Despite these challenges, Ahmed emphasized the board’s commitment to supporting players and strengthening partnerships with franchise owners. “They are also spending money for Bangladesh cricket,” he noted, signaling the importance of collective efforts to resolve ongoing issues. Source: espncricinfo Photo Credit: espncricinfo