BCB defends not releasing BPL inquiry committee report

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday received a 900-page report from its three-member inquiry committee following a nine-month long investigation on fixing allegations in the last edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The BCB procured this report after investing a lot of time and money, however, the findings of it are still unknown as the board has decided to not share the findings with the media.

This secrecy around this report breeds speculation, but the board officials insist that they are doing everything by the book.

"If you look at the ICC Anti-Corruption Committee rules, you will see that it is being followed. None of the details are being shared because there are a lot of things that still need to be done," BCB director Iftekhar Rahman Mithu told The Daily Star.

"You cannot just give out names without due process and just based on suspicions. You first need to see who are accused. You need committees and hearings and other things. We are following all the steps of ICC Anti-Corruption Code," he added.

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‘Ultimately the names will come out’: Bulbul on 900-page BPL inquiry report

The BCB has handed over the report to Alex Marshall, who was overseeing BCB's Anti-Corruption Unit as a consultant. Marshall has now been appointed as independent chairman of BCB's new Anti-Corruption Unit named Bangladesh Cricket Board Integrity Unit (BCBIU).

According to sources, the report which has three separate volumes has been handed over to Marshal, and as he goes through its contents, the developments will be shared with the board.

Sources have informed that the report consists of players' and officials' transcripts from interviews. Both 'victim' and 'accused' verdict has been given and there are also details about players under suspicion. However, more legwork is required to make concrete allegations.

BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul had informed yesterday that names of cricketers would "ultimately come out" and now it remains to be seen what the new integrity unit can accomplish following the findings of the 900-page report.

Meanwhile, as part of their overhaul of the ACU and formation of BCBIU, the board has let go of Major Raiyan Azad, who had been in charge as head of the ACU, BCB high-ups informed The Daily Star.

The department has in the past come under scrutiny for its modus operandi, especially how it openly made players re-enact their dismissals from a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match between Gulshan Cricket Club and Shinepukur Cricket Club, a game that garnered a lot of attention about the fixing issue in Bangladesh cricket.

The BCB is also planning to appoint officials from the ICC for their Integrity Unit for the upcoming BPL. "We are consulting with Marshall and are also in the process of talking to ICC about appointing officials from ICC ACU. We have not yet picked any officials but the plans are ongoing," a BCB high-up said.