Chattogram Excluded from Remaining BPL Matches Amid Tournament Challenges
BPL Governing Council's Decision
Chattogram, Bangladesh - January 1: The governing council of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has announced that Chattogram will no longer host the remaining matches of the BPL 2025-26 season, as reported by a leading sports news outlet.
This decision follows a two-day postponement of the tournament due to the passing of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died on December 30 at the age of 80 while receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital.
Sylhet will now serve as the venue for the remaining BPL matches until January 12, with Dhaka set to host three additional match days, culminating in the playoffs and the grand finale scheduled for January 23.
Iftekhar Rahman, the BPL member secretary, elaborated on the rationale behind relocating the matches from Chattogram. He mentioned that the decision was influenced by two main considerations.
“Our schedule had no gaps,” Iftekhar stated. “Shifting from Sylhet to Chattogram, particularly with the need to transport broadcast equipment between the two locations, would require at least two days. Since we had to delay matches on Monday and Tuesday, moving to Chattogram was not feasible.”
“I understand this is disappointing for Chattogram, but had we commenced the tournament there, Sylhet would have been at a disadvantage. Another significant concern was the date of the BPL final. We couldn’t afford to shift it even by a day, as the Bangladesh team requires time to prepare for the T20 World Cup. Thus, we had to weigh these factors carefully,” he added.
The current BPL season has encountered several hurdles, including the owner of Chattogram Royals withdrawing from the franchise just before the tournament kicked off on December 26.
Additionally, Khaled Mahmud, the coach of Noakhali Express, resigned due to insufficient practice facilities. An unfortunate incident also occurred when Mahbub Ali Zaki, the assistant coach of Dhaka Capitals, tragically passed away shortly before their match against Rajshahi Warriors.