Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan rejected the suggestion that he has promised a grant for the clubs ahead of the Dhaka Premier League.
‘I did not promise to give them [clubs] any money. Only they asked for it in a meeting,’
Nazmul told reporters on Thursday.His comments came a day after some clubs refused to discuss the league bylaws unless BCB president confirms the grants that they claimed they were promised.
It was earlier reported that the BCB was considering a grant of Tk 40 lakh to Tk 50 lakh for each club to help them meet the huge expenses.
The move was criticised by a section of cricket orgnaisers, who said the BCB officials are opening up the coffers to the club only to satisfy them ahead of the elections.
Some BCB officials, however, refuted the criticism saying the money is a continuation of the Tk 35 lakh that every DPL club received last year.
Last year the BCB awarded the grant as compensation for the clubs who had to release their players for the cash-rich Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament.
Nazmul, who also bargained for last year’s grant as the chairman of Abahani’s cricket committee, said there is no point in giving the clubs a similar compensation this time.
‘They said that they received money last year from the BPL and they also need to be paid this time,’ said Nazmul.
‘[But] that was part of the compensation for the BPL and I was there with them at that time. Now I cannot promise a similar amount of money [as it has no link with the BPL],’ he said.
‘They are asking for more money this time and I said that I cannot say anything and this matter needs to be discussed in the board meeting. However, I did not talk with the board about it yet,’ he said.
Nazmul argued that unlike the previous season, the clubs should rather pay the BCB this time as it has reduced their costs significantly by introducing a gradation system for the players’ recruitment.
‘I don’t think that this demand should have any relation with the player transfers,’ said the BCB president. ‘They should remember that costs have reduced to one-third for the clubs because of this gradation system.’
‘In that case they should pay the board. Still it is the decision of the board and I cannot take it alone,’ he said.
-With New Age input
