BCB gear up for Dhaka Premier League despite standoff with clubs

Despite ongoing disagreements with several club organizers, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Friday that they are preparing for the 2025-26 season of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.

Professional cricketers in Bangladesh are becoming impatient with the standoff between the BCB and clubs in Dhaka, which has lasted seven months now. The DPL has been stalled as a result, forcing many cricketers to voice their frustration on social media.

The Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh's top-tier List A competition, remains one of the most important pipelines for identifying and grooming national team talent.

The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), a BCB committee, is scheduled to meet representatives of all participating DPL clubs on April 8 to finalise fixtures, logistics, and operational plans for the season.

"The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) continues to prioritise the Dhaka league structure, a key platform for developing talent and supporting cricketers nationwide," the BCB said in a statement.

"The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPDCL), the country's top List A competition, remains central to this system and a major pathway to the national team. The BCB aims to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure a well-organised and competitive league," it added.

Cricbuzz understands that not more than three to four clubs are ready to meet with the CCDM, as other clubs claim the committee is illegal.

"I am not sure whether all the clubs will be interested to sit with CCDM as they feel this board is illegal," a seasoned club organizer told Cricbuzz. "I guess there are three to four clubs that are ready to play the DPL at this moment. Unless the issue between the board and the clubs are sorted these attempts are expected to be futile."

The cricketers remain unpaid across the country as the standoff continues, facing a financial crisis because of the clubs' boycott.

"For most of the cricketers DPL is the biggest source of income apart from being the breeding ground for the upcoming cricketers and now they are passing their days in uncertainty," said CWAB president Mithun. "I hope we realize we should not kill cricket for our egos."