BPL in limbo over missed bank guarantee

Chaos seems to have become synonymous with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and the 12th edition is no exception.

Despite a five-day extension to secure mandatory bank guarantees from all five franchises, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remains off track.

On November 13, the BPL governing council extended the deadline for submitting the BDT 10 crore guarantees to November 18 after several teams requested more time.

However, by the final day, only three franchises -- Dhaka Capitals, Rajshahi Warriors and Rangpur Riders -- had submitted guarantees, with one reportedly depositing less than required.

Chattogram Royals and Sylhet Titans have yet to provide any guarantee.

BPL governing council secretary Iftekhar Rahman Mithu told The Daily Star yesterday that the board might need to extend the deadline again.

"If any franchise fails to provide the bank guarantee, their franchise fee of BDT 2 crore will be forfeited. But proceeding without the guarantee risks repeating past issues. Teams can also submit a Fixed Deposit lien, which we can break at any time," he said.

The players' auction is scheduled for November 23, but further delays in guarantees could postpone it.