DHAKA – The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) faced a major disruption on Thursday as players boycotted the scheduled match between Chattogram Challengers and Noakhali Express, preventing the game from starting. Neither team arrived at the Mirpur venue for the toss due to the protest.
The boycott comes in response to controversial remarks made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Nazmul Islam, which players described as disrespectful and damaging to their professional integrity.
Following his statement, cricketers had threatened to halt all cricket activities across formats until their concerns were addressed and demanded Nazmul Islam’s immediate resignation.
Earlier, Bangladesh Cricketers’ Welfare Association (BCWA) President Mohammad Mithun stated that Nazmul Islam must resign before the resumption of BPL matches, warning that players would otherwise refuse to participate.
He said the remarks were “against the dignity, professionalism, and respect of the players.”
The BCB has publicly distanced itself from Nazmul Islam’s statement.
In an official notice, the board expressed regret over comments deemed offensive or hurtful and clarified that responsibility for such remarks lies solely with the director, not the board.
The BCB also confirmed that disciplinary action would be taken against anyone found guilty of insulting players.
Cricket websites have reported that the boycott threatens to impact other BPL matches, raising concerns over the continuity of the tournament.
The controversy stems from Nazmul Islam’s earlier statement threatening that players would not receive financial compensation if they boycotted Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign, further escalating tensions within the cricketing community.
