The Bangladesh Cricket Board paid very little attention to the players’ threat of boycotting the Dhaka Premier League as it has enough reasons to feel that this is nothing but a call of meow.
The cricketers in a meeting on Monday decided to boycott the league unless the BCB meets their certain demands including the scrapping of a proposed gradation system.
The move came after reports suggested that the clubs reserved Tk 20-22 lakh for the top grade against the players’ demand of at least Tk 30-35 lakh.
Debabrata Paul, general secretary of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh shifted the entire blame on the BCB, instead of the clubs, despite the latter being responsible for lowering the players’ value.
The BCB officials laughed off at the amateurish threat, which they said came too early as they are yet to announce any value of the proposed grade.
Some senior cricketers were also discontented at the decision, one that looks suicidal to them as the clubs can now use an excuse to abandon the league completely.
Former national captain Khaled Mahmud, who is also vice president of the CWAB, said he was not satisfied with the decision, which will deny many players a living.
‘The most important thing is to see the league being held,’ Mahmud told New Age on Tuesday. ‘It is already June and if it does not start immediately, I don’t know where it will end up.’
‘It is not just money. For a young and aspiring national cricketer, performance in the league is also important. If there is no league, the players will be deprived of everything.’
‘I don’t know why they took this hardline decision. I am not at all happy with the decision. I think everything could have been resolved through discussion,’ he said.
Some players, asking not be named, also expressed their reservation about the boycott decision, saying it could make them pay doubly as many of them are currently under the BCB payroll.
The BCB brought 120 players under its payroll structure last season which gave it an edge over the players meaning the cricket oversight body can compel them to participate in any of its competitions.
Nizamuddin Chowdhury, acting chief executive officer of the BCB, confirmed that not only were they paying the 120 cricketers but they are also providing them an insurance coverage.
‘One of our main aims was to bring the players under a payroll system which will give them a sense of security. I hope the players are matured enough to understand their own wellbeing,’ he said.
Some players also appeared skeptical regarding the ultimate motive of a few CWAB leaders, who instigated them to boycott not just the league, but the ongoing training camps of the national team, the Under-23 team and Under-19 team.
‘I still shiver in cold when I think about the consequence of such a decision. I am not sure why our seniors have become so desperate,’ said a player from the U-23 camp who wished not to be named.
The clubs and officials of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, the organiser of the league, are fully aware of the players’
common sentiment and therefore were not ready to pay any significance to their boycott call.
‘I think they will have to play,’ said Mostafa Kabir, vice chairman of the CCDM, who is also an official of Victoria Sporting Club. ‘It’s just a matter of dialogue between the concerned parties.’
‘There is no way we can pay heed to any threat. We are still hopeful that the players’ recruitment programme [scheduled for June 23] will take place as per schedule,’ he said.
Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, director of operations of Mohammedan Sporting Club, who is also a member of the BCB’s ad-hoc committee, brushed aside the CWAB’s threat.
‘This is totally unacceptable,’ he said. ‘We started taking preparation of the league only after the BCB president [Nazmul Hasan] requested us. Now, when we are almost ready, someone is dictating terms. We cannot accept this. There has to be a balance between everything.’
-With New Age input
