BPL players, bus driver left high and dry without payment

The affected foreign players are Mohammad Haris (Pakistan), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe), Miguel Cummins (West Indies), Mark Deyal (West Indies), and Aftab Alam (Afghanistan).

The alleged non-payment, to both foreign and local players, was a raging issue last month when the cricketers cancelled their practice session and overseas contingent opted out in protest on January 15, before promises from the management and CEO of the franchise prompted them to continue playing.

The local players have checked out of the team hotel while the foreigners are clueless with the team management not responding to their calls.

Bus driver refuses to give kit bags

There was more drama in store as it’s not just the players who have been left unpaid.

Bus driver Mohammed Babul refused to give the kit bags of players, alleging he hadn’t been paid.

“It’s a matter of shame and regret. If they had paid us, we would have given back the kit bags to the players,” Babul was quoted as saying.

The non-payment by Durbar Rajshahi, and also Chittagong Kings, has got the cricket board and government agencies involved.

While the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have got into damage-control mode as the T20 league is organised by it, the National Sports Council has formed a fact-finding committee to look into the matter.

The council will examine the reasons for the delay in payments to the players and other staff.

Meanwhile, police took Durbar Rajshahi owner Shafiq Rahman into custody for interrogation regarding the payment crisis.It is understood that he promised to clear the dues in three phases on February 3,7, and 10.