BPL 2024-25: Durbar Rajshahi’s overseas players stranded in team hotel, awaiting unsettled dues

The non-payment of dues to Durbar Rajshahi’s abroad is causing issue in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Interestingly, Rajshahi’s was ousted from the tournament after placing fifth.

Even after their stay ended, the foreign players were still stuck in the team hotel in Dhaka because the franchises had not paid them. The players are waiting for tickets to return home after contacting the team owners, who have not returned their calls.

The players that are stuck because they haven’t received their share of compensation include Miguel Cummins (West Indies), Mark Deyal (West Indies), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe), Aftab Alam (Afghanistan), and Muhammad Haris (Pakistan). A few players have received a 25% settlement from the franchise, but the other players have not received any compensation. Additionally, it has been alleged that the players have not received their daily allowance for the past eleven days.

“The team owner and management haven’t responded to the players’ calls for updates as they await tickets for flights back home,” according to a report.

As the local players boycotted a practice session in Chattogram last month and the team was obliged to field an XI without any overseas players after they chose to sit out the match against Rangpur Riders, the non-payment of dues has already caused unprecedented upheaval in the league.

“I believe that our evaluation of the franchises was flawed. We may not have checked their financial stability and experience. We are currently in a challenging position as a result of it,” stated Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, member-secretary of the BPL’s governing council.

“I spoke to the Durbar Rajshahi owner, who assured us that he will clear the payments,”

Asif Mahmud, Bangladesh’s sports adviser, continued. I’ve made it quite obvious to him that we would take legal action if he doesn’t comply. No more conversations. The origins of this team will be investigated by our fact-finding committee.