A major controversy has erupted around the Bangladesh Premier League after seven local cricketers were omitted from the final auction list. No evidence has yet been made public, prompting questions about whether the players have been unfairly penalised. The Bangladesh Cricket Board, however, insists that the decision was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming tournament.
In a press statement, the BCB said that its president, Aminul Islam, recently received the findings of an independent committee tasked with investigating irregularities in the previous season. That report, the result of eight months of interviews and assessment, was forwarded to the Integrity Unit led by Alex Marshall for deeper evaluation.
The Integrity Unit later advised the BPL Governing Council to exercise caution with regard to specific individuals who appeared in the report under “red-flagged” behaviour. Acting on that recommendation, the council chose not to extend an invitation to those players for the 12th BPL edition.
Iftikhar Rahman, the member secretary of the Governing Council, clarified the board’s reasoning: “We cannot call anyone guilty. But when a red flag arises, and when we are moving towards zero tolerance in ethical matters, we cannot take risks by placing these players in the auction.”
He stressed that the decision is exclusive to the BPL. The players are free to compete in other domestic events. Still, the cricketers excluded from the draft argue that they have been denied due process and that no evidence has been shown to them.
Addressing the criticism, Iftikhar said, “Yes, the players are saying this has happened without evidence. But this investigation was led by a former judge. They conducted over sixty interviews and submitted a 900-page report. They did not arrive at conclusions lightly.”
He further explained that the BCB has full jurisdiction over the auction list. “Being an active player does not guarantee inclusion. Even with foreign players, more than 500 applied and we accepted 260. This is consistent policy.”
The seven excluded cricketers—believed to be Enamul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, Alauddin Babu, Sanjamul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, Nihaduzzaman and Shafiul Islam—were not named in the BCB’s release to avoid reputational harm. Some of them are considering legal remedies, but Iftikhar maintained, “The council’s authority is absolute in this matter.”