Even before the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) auction, match-fixing was at the centre of debate and speculation. Although the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) did not make an official statement, they decided to exclude nine local players who had been implicated in previous allegations. However, BCB is not stopping at the auction; the board plans to maintain maximum vigilance against any form of corruption throughout the entire tournament.
To ensure that no one can engage in match-fixing – and that any attempts are swiftly caught – the BCB will assign two officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to work alongside each franchise during the BPL. BCB Vice-President Sakawat Hossain confirmed the move, revealing that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed with the CID. Speaking to journalists at a Dhaka hotel after the auction, he explained that the initiative is part of a broader effort to safeguard the integrity of the league.
“Our integrity team has always been active, but now we are formally involving the CID,” Sakawat said. “Two officers will be assigned to each team – one in uniform, the other in plain clothes. This is to strengthen the transparency and credibility of the competition.”
Explaining the rationale, he added, “CID is Bangladesh’s most advanced investigative agency. They have access to cutting-edge technology and equipment, and can even monitor communications such as WhatsApp messages if necessary. We are working closely with the government to ensure complete transparency and to show that our commitment to clean cricket is genuine.”
The twelfth edition of the BPL is scheduled to begin on 26 December, and BCB hopes this new measure will deter any attempts at corruption while reassuring fans of the tournament’s fairness.