Prime Bank to pull out of BCL

The team alleges BCB overlooks several important things

Prime Bank Cricket Club said they have decided to pull them out of the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the franchisee-based longer version cricket tournament of the country. Tanjil Chowdhury, cricket committee secretary of the Prime Bank Cricket Club confirmed the news of their pullout from the BCL to the media.

He said that they sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury citing the cause of their reluctance to participate in the upcoming eighth edition of the BCL. “We’ve decided that we’ll not play the next edition of the BCL. In the meantime, we’ve sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) informing the matter of their pullout from the franchisee-based longer version cricket league,” said Tanjil Chowdhury. “We’ve cited our position clearly to the board and mentioned some of the causes not to take part in the next edition of the BCL,” Chowdhury told media.

Even though none of the tournament committee chairman and member secretary made any comment, tournament committee manager Ariful Islam confirmed the matter of the letter. The BCL started its journey in 2012-2013 season in the country. After National Cricket League (NCL), it’s the biggest domestic first class cricket league, where a total of eight divisions, splitting into four zonal teams, take part in the tournament.

Prime Bank Limited bought the ownership of the South Zone and corporate company Walton Group bought the ownership of the Central Zone while Islami Bank Limited won the East Zone and BCB kept North Zone under their belt.

Prime Bank South Zone became champion in the second edition of the BCL in 2013-2014 season. Since then, they pulled off the crown of the league another three times, out of seven. Even they also became runner-up once.

Why four-time champion team abruptly pulled them out of the tournament, there are many more speculations are rife around the cricket arena of the country to this end.

In the meantime, it’s learnt that the relation between Tanjil Chowdhury and BCB has been deteriorated centering the ongoing Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League. But Tanjil, who is team director of Sylhet Thunder, flouted the matter.

“No, I’ve no problem with the board whether it is BPL or other issue. We’ve informed our reluctance of participating in BCL before the ensuing edition of the BCL being rolled onto the ground,” Tanjil said.

“Actually we had some demands in BCL for so long. We’ve repeatedly sent a letter to the BCB and tournament committee informing the matter. But they always informed us that BCL will be the most competitive and festive edition of the country’s first class cricket from where a lot of Test players will come out,” he said.

“But there are many things that are essential for the production of the longer version players. Still those are absent in BCL. We’ve mentioned all those reasons in our letters. The main of it was to not get the national players. For which the BCL standard was not being held good. We got Mashrafe Bin Mortaza among the national players of the South Zone for a match. Along with that, we got Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain for a round. We did not get Shakib Al Hasan for any edition. As we have invested a lot of money, the publicity is also a big part of our investment as a corporate house. That is not being made for us,” he said.

“The standard cricketers we were getting are very difficult for us to make them for the national Test Team. Even though we talked about selling the TV rights but that’s not done. Even we have proposed if it’s not possible to broadcast matches on TV, the board can step at least to live on online platform. But that’s not done yet.

“We wanted to set the TV camera to bring transparency but that’s not given. We give 50 lakh taka to the board but we did not know where is being spent. Our team ‘Prime Bank South Zone’ is not being published as this name though it was being told us that everything is being done right but it’s not seen in reality. Basically we are reluctant to play BCL for all those things.

It’s learnt that the same type of letter had been sent to the board from Prime Bank. But they have played despite having their accusations.

But the owner of the Prime Bank said this time they have no chance to change their stance.

“No, this time we have taken our final decision. We’re investing money for the development of the country’s cricket. Why we’ll run a team by investing so much money if they don’t do it. And the biggest thing is that we're corporate company, where we’ve also accountability.”

But he said they will take part in Dhaka Premier League (DPL) though they do not participate in BCL, which is scheduled to roll onto the ground in March. But Dhaka Premier League is all set to get underway before that.

 

Prime Bank to pull out of BCL

The team alleges BCB overlooks several important things

Prime Bank Cricket Club said they have decided to pull them out of the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the franchisee-based longer version cricket tournament of the country. Tanjil Chowdhury, cricket committee secretary of the Prime Bank Cricket Club confirmed the news of their pullout from the BCL to the media. He said that they sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury citing the cause of their reluctance to participate in the upcoming eighth edition of the BCL. Weve decided that well not play the next edition of the BCL. In the meantime, weve sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) informing the matter of their pullout from the franchisee-based longer version cricket league, said Tanjil Chowdhury. Weve cited our position clearly to the board and mentioned some of the causes not to take part in the next edition of the BCL, Chowdhury told media. Even though none of the tournament committee chairman and member secretary made any comment, tournament committee manager Ariful Islam confirmed the matter of the letter. The BCL started its journey in 2012-2013 season in the country. After National Cricket League (NCL), its the biggest domestic first class cricket league, where a total of eight divisions, splitting into four zonal teams, take part in the tournament. Prime Bank Limited bought the ownership of the South Zone and corporate company Walton Group bought the ownership of the Central Zone while Islami Bank Limited won the East Zone and BCB kept North Zone under their belt. Prime Bank South Zone became champion in the second edition of the BCL in 2013-2014 season. Since then, they pulled off the crown of the league another three times, out of seven. Even they also became runner-up once. Why four-time champion team abruptly pulled them out of the tournament, there are many more speculations are rife around the cricket arena of the country to this end. In the meantime, its learnt that the relation between Tanjil Chowdhury and BCB has been deteriorated centering the ongoing Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League. But Tanjil, who is team director of Sylhet Thunder, flouted the matter. No, Ive no problem with the board whether it is BPL or other issue. Weve informed our reluctance of participating in BCL before the ensuing edition of the BCL being rolled onto the ground, Tanjil said. Actually we had some demands in BCL for so long. Weve repeatedly sent a letter to the BCB and tournament committee informing the matter. But they always informed us that BCL will be the most competitive and festive edition of the countrys first class cricket from where a lot of Test players will come out, he said. But there are many things that are essential for the production of the longer version players. Still those are absent in BCL. Weve mentioned all those reasons in our letters. The main of it was to not get the national players. For which the BCL standard was not being held good. We got Mashrafe Bin Mortaza among the national players of the South Zone for a match. Along with that, we got Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain for a round. We did not get Shakib Al Hasan for any edition. As we have invested a lot of money, the publicity is also a big part of our investment as a corporate house. That is not being made for us, he said. The standard cricketers we were getting are very difficult for us to make them for the national Test Team. Even though we talked about selling the TV rights but thats not done. Even we have proposed if its not possible to broadcast matches on TV, the board can step at least to live on online platform. But thats not done yet. We wanted to set the TV camera to bring transparency but thats not given. We give 50 lakh taka to the board but we did not know where is being spent. Our team Prime Bank South Zone is not being published as this name though it was being told us that everything is being done right but its not seen in reality. Basically we are reluctant to play BCL for all those things. Its learnt that the same type of letter had been sent to the board from Prime Bank. But they have played despite having their accusations. But the owner of the Prime Bank said this time they have no chance to change their stance. No, this time we have taken our final decision. Were investing money for the development of the countrys cricket. Why well run a team by investing so much money if they dont do it. And the biggest thing is that were corporate company, where weve also accountability. But he said they will take part in Dhaka Premier League (DPL) though they do not participate in BCL, which is scheduled to roll onto the ground in March. But Dhaka Premier League is all set to get underway before that.