Robi terminates sponsorship contract with Bangladesh Cricket Board

Telecom operator Robi has terminated the sponsorship contract with Bangladesh Cricket Board, saying the deal has “lost relevance”.

It announced the decision in a statement to the media on Sunday more than 10 months before the contract was to end.

Besides the men’s national team, the A team, and the Under-19 team, the contract covered the women’s national team from July last year.

The mobile operator and the BCB have been at odds for a long time over some conditions mentioned in the contract and discussions to thrash out a solution have gone nowhere.

The BCB has not officially said anything on the issue. Officials were also tight-lipped.

Robi said in the statement they are relinquishing the responsibility “with a heavy heart” as the ongoing contract with the Bangladesh Cricket Board has lost its relevance. 

But, Robi added, it will continue supporting Bangladesh cricket and will explore options to stand by the team in the future.

Sources said Robi has long been complaining that the BCB was not fulfilling some conditions set in the contract.

Robi and the BCB signed a contract for the sponsorship in 2015 for two years. Sources said the deal was worth Tk 300 million.

In May last year, they extended the contract by two more years. The contract was worth nearly double the amount mentioned in the 2015 deal, according to sources.