The controversial Rajshahi franchise in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is facing increasing scrutiny after its owner, Shafiqul Rahman, was questioned by law enforcement in the early hours of February 3.
The team has been involved in several issues that have sparked criticism and damaged the tournament’s image both locally and internationally.
The troubles began before the tournament started when players were promised 25% of their salary upfront.
However, two weeks into the competition, the players had still not received any payments, leading them to boycott practice sessions. As the situation worsened, foreign players also decided to stop playing, and local players received checks that bounced.
There were additional complaints about players being sent home from their hotels, foreign players being denied return tickets, and team bus expenses not being covered.
The issues surrounding Rajshahi`s management were damaging not just for the BPL, but for the country`s reputation as well. The head of the World Players’ Association condemned the situation.
In response to the ongoing problems, Shafiqul Rahman was summoned by law enforcement for questioning.
During the inquiry, he admitted his mistakes and promised to pay all outstanding dues by February 10, 2025.
The issue of unpaid salaries had already been brought to the attention of both the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the government’s Youth and Sports Advisor, Mr. Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan.
After receiving assurances from the franchise owner that the issue would be resolved, the government advisor had hoped the situation would improve.
However, those promises were not kept, and further complaints followed.
Allegations of unpaid bus expenses and missing cricket kit bags emerged, prompting the Ministry of Youth and Sports to take strong action.
The Ministry issued a statement that outlined the situation in full:
“While the BCB, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the government worked hard to ensure the success of BPL 2025, the Rajshahi franchise has repeatedly broken agreements with players, coaching staff, and management, bringing shame to the tournament and tarnishing the nation’s reputation internationally.”
Due to the ongoing media coverage of these issues, Youth and Sports Advisor Mr. Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan met with the franchise owner to try to find a solution.
Despite being promised that 50% of the dues would be paid by February 2, those promises were not kept. Instead, reports of more irregularities continued to surface. After hearing about potential lawsuits against the franchise owner, the government decided to take stronger action to protect the country’s image. Furthermore, rumors that the franchise owner was planning to flee the country led to government intervention.
To manage the situation and ensure that all players and staff received their payments, Shafiqul Rahman, the owner of the troubled franchise, was brought in for questioning by law enforcement on February 3. During this inquiry, Rahman admitted his mistakes and pledged to pay all outstanding dues in three installments: on February 3, 7, and 10. He also confirmed that every player and team member would receive their full payments. If he fails to meet these promises, legal action will be taken against him.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has also formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the various irregularities in the BPL. The ministry is committed to taking appropriate actions against those responsible for damaging the country’s reputation.”
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