BCB confident of hosting BPL on time despite political unrest

A Bangladesh Cricket Board official said on Friday they remain confident of hosting the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on time, despite doubts amid the volatile political situation in the country.

The BPL Governing Council had announced the tournament would begin on December 26 in Sylhet, following an opening ceremony in Dhaka on December 24. However, the board later postponed the opening ceremony due to security concerns. Those concerns intensified after attacks on two leading national newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

Despite the uncertainty, BPL Governing Council member secretary Shakhawat Hossain said there were no doubts over the tournament starting on time in Sylhet.

"No doubt at the moment regarding the BPL. Inshallah, it will start from the 26th, though the opening ceremony will not be held," Shakhawat told Cricbuzz. "We are in continuous discussion with the agencies. They have said there is no problem. Everything is ready, including the grounds, to host the tournament."

Atik Fahad, Dhaka Capital chief executive, echoed similar confidence, while noting any deferral would cause major issues for franchises that have already made logistical arrangements.

"So far we are not fearing a postponement. We are confident, even though some management-related issues might create a bit of doubt," Fahad told Cricbuzz. "We will begin our practice from the 21st. Everything is ready from our side, from foreign tickets to ground logistics."