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BPL halted as players boycott match despite BCB’s show-cause notice
The crisis in Bangladesh cricket has paralysed the domestic calendar, with players following through on their threat to boycott all forms of the game.
The first Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match of the day between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express was effectively abandoned after both teams failed to arrive for the toss at 12:30 PM.
The boycott, organised by the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), came into effect despite a desperate, last-minute attempt by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to de-escalate the situation.
Earlier this morning, the BCB issued a show-cause notice to Director M Nazmul Islam, initiating formal disciplinary proceedings for his "objectionable comments" in which he suggested players should return their salaries if they fail to perform.
In a statement, the BCB expressed “regret” over the remarks and instructed Nazmul to submit a written response within 48 hours. The board described players as the “lifeblood” of the sport and urged them to demonstrate professionalism by allowing the BPL to continue.
However, the internal disciplinary measure has failed to appease the cricketers. CWAB remains firm on the boycott, which also caused matches in the Dhaka Cricket League to be stalled earlier in the day.
CWAB President Mohammad Mithun is scheduled to address the media at 2:30 PM local time to announce the players' next steps. As the BPL enters its final phase, the standoff threatens to derail the country’s most popular tournament, reports UNB.