Fortune Barishal Appeals for BPL Schedule Adjustment

Fortune Barishal, the reigning champions of the Bangladesh Premier League, have formally requested that the tournament be rescheduled due to challenges faced in organizing on short notice.

Recently, the league’s governing council announced that the upcoming BPL season will feature only five teams and is slated to begin in mid-December. Subsequently, the council invited Expressions of Interest for franchise ownership in the BPLT20.

“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially commenced the process of collecting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from reputable business entities for Franchise Ownership Rights in the Bangladesh Premier League T20 (BPLT20),” the BCB announced in a statement on Sunday, October 12th.

The BCB added, “These rights will apply for five consecutive seasons, covering the 12th to the 16th editions of the tournament.”

They further detailed, “The BCB has identified ten potential franchise regions: Barishal, Chattogram, Cumilla, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet.”

As part of an open and fair process, the BPL Governing Council will evaluate at least five qualified EOIs for the 12th edition of the BPL T20, scheduled for 2026,” the statement concluded.

Since this announcement, there has been widespread speculation that Fortune Barishal might not participate. However, their owner, Mizanur Rahman, has refuted these assertions.

Mizanur clarified, “I never said we wouldn’t take part in the BPL. What I mentioned was that, given the limited time, it’s challenging for a team like ours to participate. Hence, we requested an extension. I’ve received numerous inquiries, and I’ve informed them (the BCB) that the timeline is tight, making preparations difficult.”

“Even with our players, we need to secure necessary funds and equipment for player acquisitions, which is infeasible to finalize within one or one-and-a-half months, even with round-the-clock efforts. Hence, I’ve asked for a different schedule, and now we await their response.”

He reiterated, “We’re not refusing to play, but if the schedule is adjusted, we’d be onboard because we’ve always supported the game and remain committed.”

Mizanur expressed skepticism, “I doubt any strong team would rush into such a short preparation timeline. You can even consult Rangpur (Riders). Teams without prior experience might consider playing under such conditions.”

“I merely sought additional time… a schedule in April or May would be better suited. Providing them for the next cycle and accommodating some preparation time is sensible. There’s no merit in rushing it just for the sake of holding the event, and I believe the BPL should include us.”

Mizanur also clarified the situation regarding their captain, Tamim Iqbal, following Tamim’s announcement of boycotting all cricket under the new BCB president, Aminul Islam.

He stated, “There’s no indication that Tamim won’t participate in the BPL. He likely referred to general cricket activities when he mentioned boycotting. If the BPL proceeds, I will invite him to play, and I expect that if Barishal competes, he’ll be part of it.”