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Published : 04 Oct 2025, 10:34 PM
Forty‑eight clubs in Dhaka have united to declare that, unless three specific demands are met, they will boycott the forthcoming league and all domestic cricket in protest of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election.
They rallied after 18 candidates withdrew, denouncing the poll as a “farcical election” and demanding a new, inclusive process.
Tension surrounding the BCB vote intensified on Saturday following a High Court petition and the clubs’ press conference, challenging the election’s legitimacy.
On Tuesday, Faruque Ahmed, former BCB president and current candidate from the clubs’ category, filed a writ plea alleging irregularities.
He claims 15 clubs under ACC investigation were illegally made councillors. The court issued a rule and scheduled hearings for Sunday morning.
On Saturday afternoon at the Mohammedan Sporting Club, representatives from different Dhaka leagues presented their demands in a written statement. The three core demands are:
• Extend the term of the current BCB board temporarily and ensure a fair election.
• Appoint an ad hoc committee to manage the election process.
• Void the current schedule and issue a new one allowing full participation.
They backed their demands by citing alleged manipulations: government interference in councillor lists, mass withdrawals of candidate nominations, categorisation of councillor qualifications without board approval, delayed acceptance of Faruque’s councillorship, voiding of voting rights for 15 clubs even though they played in the last league, and reports that councillors from several districts were prevented from participating.
In their closing remarks, the clubs warned that unless the controversial blueprint is cancelled, no club will take part in the new season. They also insisted on non‑political interference in the election, neutral formation of councillor lists, and full independence for the election commission.
