BCB move closer to resolving Dhaka Premier League deadlock

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has moved closer to ending its prolonged standoff with Dhaka's clubs, with plans underway to resume the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), the country's premier List A competition.

The development follows a key meeting between BCB officials and club representatives, where the resumption of the DPL, considered a financial lifeline for a large section of cricketers, was discussed. The uncertainty around the tournament had led to growing frustration among players, including several national stars.

The BCB is targeting May 5 as a tentative start date for the DPL, while the player transfer window is expected to be completed by April 22. A final decision, however, will be taken on April 12, when the board meets representatives of clubs from the lower tiers.

The structure of domestic competitions has added complexity to the delay. The leagues are interlinked through promotion and relegation, with two teams dropping from the DPL to the First Division and two sides moving up to the List A competition. Neither the First Division League nor the Second Division League has been completed with full participation.

Thursday's meeting was led by BCB's interim president Tamim Iqbal, along with other ad hoc committee members, and attended by representatives from 10 of the 12 DPL clubs. Officials from Legends of Rupganj and Brothers Union were absent due to prior commitments.

Ahead of the DPL, the BCB is planning to stage the first two rounds of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the country's only franchise-based first-class competition featuring four teams. The tournament is likely to begin on April 21 and serve as preparation for Bangladesh's upcoming Test series against Pakistan in May.

Following the opening two rounds, the BCL is expected to pause to allow the DPL to resume, with matches likely to be played across six venues in and around Dhaka.

Club officials indicated that, unlike previous editions, the DPL will not feature a Super League stage. Traditionally, the tournament concludes with a Super League after the round-robin phase, but this time the title is expected to be decided through a single round-robin format due to time constraints.

The BCB will provide Tk 25 lakh to each team to cover operational costs, while cricket equipment will be distributed by the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) based on the clubs' requirements.

There were also discussions around allocating reserve days between rounds to mitigate rain interruptions, although no final decision has been taken.

Tamim, who suffered a heart attack during the previous edition of the DPL, has made it mandatory to have ICU-equipped ambulances at all venues during the tournament.

Meanwhile, Tamim also held informal discussions with a large group of national players before meeting the three captains - Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Litton Das - at the academy dining area of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

"We had a meeting and he insisted that he has full faith in us," one of the captains told Cricbuzz on Thursday. "He [Tamim] assured us that he will give us all-out support and wanted us to be accountable," he added.