BPL auction postponed again due to lack of bank guarantees

Almost every edition of the BPL faces various allegations and speculations, but this year’s situation has surpassed all previous issues. Even before the tournament could begin, the failure of franchises to submit their bank guarantees has thrown the entire event into uncertainty.

As no team managed to provide the full bank guarantee of 10 crore taka despite the extended deadline, the auction has once again been deferred to 30 November.

Although the governing council granted several extensions, franchises still failed to submit the required funds. Even after the deadline passed, some informal extra time was provided, yet no team could deposit the full guarantee. Many believe this lack of commitment from the franchises has effectively left the governing council ‘hostage’.

Sources indicate that none of the five teams have submitted full guarantees. Dhaka Capitals deposited half; Sylhet Titans made a partial payment; and there is no clear information about the amounts submitted by Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Chattogram—council members have shared conflicting statements.

However, Member Secretary Iftikhar Ahmed claims they received full guarantees from Dhaka, Rangpur, and Rajshahi, while Sylhet and Chattogram submitted nothing.

He further stated that the deadline for submitting bank guarantees was extended from 13 November to 18 November, yet several franchises still failed to comply. Some teams requested further extensions, leaving the council with no option but to postpone the auction. Now, BCB is considering taking over the responsibility of the Chattogram franchise—which did not deposit a single taka—and securing external investment to ensure this year’s tournament proceeds in some capacity.

Several governing council members believe it is impossible to run the event using the guarantees of only three teams. Therefore, BCB is now seeking new investors and exploring alternative plans.

Khaborwala/TSN