The commercial bank signed a two-year deal yesterday with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to hold the ticket sponsorship rights for all international Test and ODIs to be played during May 2007 to May 2009 in Bangladesh.

"AB Bank will provide Tk 65 lakh and in return it will get the rights to use their logo in the match tickets, BCB's backdrops, invitations cards, letterheads, scoreboard and two ground boards," said BCB vice-president Aziz Al Kaiser Tito, also chairman of marketing committee, at a press conference yesterday.

The amount looked too poor compared to the last one they had received from the City Bank for the last series against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Scotland.

"For the first time we had called an open tender to give the right and AB Bank became a highest bidder to get the rights. Earlier we managed the sponsor by personal relationship but the tendering process ensure transparency, " explained Tito adding that AB Bank are going to get highest exposure from the deal as they have a plan to arrange triangular series during the period.

"We feel proud to have become a partner of BCB because our team is performing well in the international level," said Kaiser A Chowdhury, president and managing director of AB Bank adding that, in a new dimension tickets can also be purchased online.

Interestingly, BCB has decided to print only 20,000 gallery tickets for the one-day matches at Mirpur and 10,000 for the Chittagong match although there is a huge interest among the cricket lovers with the series.

"What we want to ensure is that the fans can watch the matches in relaxed mood under immense heat. That's why we have decided to print less than the expectation and there is also some accommodation problem in Mirpur," defended Ali Hossain, member secretary of ticket and seating committee.

The bank will start selling tickets through its following Dhaka city branches: Motijheel, New Elephant Road, Kakrail, North South Road (Bongshal), Nawabur Road, Dhanmondi, Rokeya Sarani, Mirpur, Gulshan, Uttara.

In Chittagong, the tickets will be available at Agrabad, Station Road, CDA Avenue, Jubilee Road and port connecting branches.

Rates of tickets at Mirpur: Gallery - (ODI-Tk. 100), (Test-Tk. 40), Special Enclosure - (ODI-Tk. 200), (Test-Tk. 60), VIP Complimentary - (ODI-Tk. 1,000), (Test- Tk 200), VIP Stand - (ODI- Tk 2,000), (Test-Tk 500), VIP - (ODI-Tk 2,000), (Test- Tk 500), A/C Hospitality Box - Tk. 1 Lakh (package).

Rates of tickets at Chittagong: Gallery - (ODI- Tk 100), (Test - Tk 40), Special Enclosure - (ODI- Tk 400), (Test - Tk 100), Club House (ODI - Tk 500), (Test - Tk 150), VIP Complementary - (ODI - Tk 2,000), (Test - Tk 750), Non A/C Box - (ODI - Tk 2,500), (Test - Tk 800), A/C Hospitality Box - (ODI- Tk 3,000), (Test - Tk. 1,000).