Players of Durbar Rajshahi have agreed to resume playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) following assurances from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed.

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Unpaid players of Durbar Rajshahi boycott practice ahead of Chattogram phase

10 hrs ago

The BPL’s Dhaka and Sylhet phases have concluded, with the Chattogram phase set to begin on Thursday. However, Rajshahi’s local and foreign players had yet to receive their payments, leading to unrest within the team.

On Wednesday morning, the players boycotted practice in Chattogram, citing unpaid salaries. By evening, BCB President Faruque Ahmed traveled to Chattogram to meet with the players at the Radisson Hotel. After discussions, the players were reassured and agreed to participate in the upcoming matches.

Tensions had been building among the players due to delays in payment. The situation worsened when a check issued for 25% of their remuneration bounced. This prompted the players to skip practice sessions for the past two days.

However, Durbar Rajshahi’s Media Manager, Ishtiaq Parvez Niloy, has clarified the reason behind the bounced checks. Speaking to media, Niloy explained that the franchise was not scheduled to make payments on January 15, as the payment date was set for January 16.

According to Niloy, the franchise owner is currently in Thailand with his wife for medical treatment. He had informed the team in advance not to attempt any withdrawals on January 15, as funds would only be deposited in the bank on January 16. Despite this, two players attempted to withdraw money on January 15, resulting in the checks bouncing.

Niloy assured that the payments would be made on Thursday, January 16, without fail. He also mentioned that 25% of the salaries for foreign players and coaches had already been disbursed a week earlier.

While the BCB President’s intervention has temporarily resolved the crisis, there is still uncertainty over when the players will receive their dues.