Durbar Rajshahi Payment Crisis: Players Stranded
The Durbar Rajshahi payment crisis has left foreign players stranded in Dhaka, with the team's owner not responding to their calls and the governing council struggling to resolve the issue, sparking concerns over the league's management and player welfare.
Foreign players of the Durbar Rajshahi cricket team, including Mohammad Haris and Ryan Burl, are stranded in a Dhaka hotel awaiting payment for their services in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025, sparking a controversy over the team's management and the league's vetting process.
The players, who were part of the Durbar Rajshahi team in the BPL, have not received their full payment, with some having received only 12.5-17.5% of their due amount, while others have not been paid at all. The team's owner, Shafiq Rahman, has stopped responding to their calls, and the players have been without daily allowance for 11 days. The situation has raised questions over the selection process of the franchise, with the governing council's member-secretary Nazmul Abedeen Fahim acknowledging that they did not properly verify the franchises' experience and financial strength.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the National Sports Council (NSC) have formed a committee to resolve the issue, but despite this, the payment remains unpaid. The BCB official has expressed regret and shame over the situation, and it is reported that the players are likely to leave Bangladesh without receiving their dues. The sports adviser to the Bangladesh government has assured the players that payment will be made, but if not, legal action will be taken.
The PCB intervened on behalf of Mohammad Haris, and he received his return ticket after being assured by the BPL administration. However, the franchise still owes most of the foreign players, with only two receiving 25% of their dues. The team's bus driver, Mohammad Babul, has also locked away the players' kit bags due to outstanding payment, stating that he will not return them until he is paid.
The situation has sparked a humanitarian crisis, with the players stuck in a Dhaka hotel without their daily allowance and uncertain about their return home. The controversy surrounding the Durbar Rajshahi team has raised questions about the management and vetting process of the BPL franchises, and the governing council's ability to ensure the welfare of the players.
