Bangladesh Cricket Board president Faruque Ahmed assured the cricketers that the First Division Cricket League would commence within this month when the players came to meet him at the BCB headquarters situated at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.
The First Division League, which was originally supposed to start on January 20, was derailed due to the ongoing dispute between the BCB and the clubs based in Dhaka over a proposed amendment in the constitution of the governing body of cricket in Bangladesh.
As a result, the representative cricketers of the club, including the captains, came to meet Faruque. After the meeting, the cricketers told the reporters that they were assured and relieved.
鈥榃e had a long discussion,鈥� said Asaduzzaman Prince, the captain of the Khelaghar Somaj Kollyan Somiti.
鈥楬e [Faruque] assured us that there was no doubt that the league would start shortly.
鈥楬e said that the date may vary a bit, but the league would begin within this month. Sir [Faruque] has informed us that he would do it as soon as possible,鈥� added Prince.
Prince also mentioned that the BCB would hold a board meeting on January 25 where they are likely to meet the club officials as well. After that, the new starting date of the First Division will be announced.
鈥楾he president has assured us that there would be no complications, and the league would proceed as planned,鈥� Prince continued.
聽鈥楽ince our livelihoods are tied to the league, we wait 7-9 months solely for First Division cricket. The income from this league supports our families. This is why senior players from these 20 teams are present here today鈥攖o ascertain when the president will commence our league. We were doubtful, the president has assured us,鈥� he added.
Another cricketer, Saddam Hossain of Dhaka Leopards, said that the clubs asked them to go home amidst the ongoing situation.
鈥榃e players are currently facing uncertainty,鈥� said Saddam.
鈥楢s you know, the league was scheduled to begin on the 20th, and we had initiated our preparations accordingly. However, the clubs have now instructed us to return home.
鈥楪iven the circumstances, we are unsure about our capacity to participate or return to the field. The president has assured us that the league will begin as soon as possible within this month,鈥� he added.
Later, in a press release, BCB also said about Faruque鈥檚 assurance to the cricketers in the matter.
鈥楾he BCB president told the cricketers that the board totally understands the importance of the league in respect of their career and livelihood,鈥� the press release stated.
聽鈥楬e also assured them that the board will give every effort to get the competition underway as early as realistically possible.鈥�
The dispute began when the clubs became aware of the fact that the proposed reforms in the constitution of the BCB would decrease the number of the councillors in category 2 from 76 to 30 (reportedly) as well as the number of the directors of the Dhaka-based club from 12 to four.
Then on last Saturday, representatives from the cricket clubs announced that they were going to boycott the First Division Cricket League as well as the Dhaka Premier League if their demands corresponding to the proposed amendments of the constitution of the BCB weren鈥檛 met.
In a letter handed to Faruque, the club officials also demanded the resignation of the head of the reform committee, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, from his post as well as from BCB.
The proposed amendments also include the dissolution of the CCDM鈥攁 body within the BCB that maintains the Dhaka-based cricket. The total number of BCB directors would be reduced from 25 to 21 as per the proposals.
