The government and the Bangladesh Cricket Board have gone on a massive but questionable spending spree ahead of ICC World Twenty, scheduled for March-April next year.
The spending fest includes renovation of some of the stadiums that have no relation with the tournament, raising fear of tax payers’ money being plundered at the end of the government’s tenure. It was learnt that the government has allocated Tk 5 crore 18 lakh 83 thousand for Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna and Tk 1 crore 74 lakh for Bangabandhu National Stadium, the stadiums that are not in BCB’s plan for the ICC World Twenty20.
Apart from these, Tk 9 crore 98 lakh for Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Tk 7 crore 10 lakh for Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong and Tk 5 crore 97 lakh for Futullah Stadium, Tk 4 crore 11 lakh for Cox’s Bazar District Stadium, Tk 49.77 lakh for Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium, Tk 50 lakh for Sylhet District Stadium have been allocated.
The money are in addition to Tk 87 crore 50 lakh that has been allotted for the under-construction Sylhet Divisional Stadium, one of the three venues designated for the men’s event of the showpiece tournament.
The BCB is also spending an undisclosed amount of money on a temporary structure at Cox’s Bazar, a place which is schedule to host the women’s leg of the tournament.
Of the stadiums, Sher-e-Bangla, Zahur Ahmed and Sylhet Divisional Stadiums will host men’s event while Fatullah Stadium is being prepared as an alternative venue to Sylhet.
BCB’s acting chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they have proposed the Sylhet District Stadium, Cox’s Bazar District Stadium and Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium as training grounds for the teams.
Asked about the reason for including the BNS and Khulna stadium in the list of renovation, the BCB chief executive said they were also part of their initial plan before being discarded.
‘We gave the government a list of venues needed for the tournament last year,’ he said. ‘Later some of them were excluded from the Twenty20 plan but we did not oppose the renovation, which will be needed in any case for future international matches.’
Asked about the BNS, which is no longer an international cricket venue, Chowdhury said initially there was a plan of hold the opening ceremony at the stadium much like the ICC World Cup 2011.
‘Though we dropped the plan of an opening ceremony there could be a musical concert at the Bangabandhu National Stadium,’ he said.
Ahmed Morshed, secretary of the National Sports Council which is supervising the renovation works, said he has no comment about it.
‘We will do whatever the government instructs us to do. I cannot say anything more,’ said Morshed.
The huge budget for the refurbishment of the World Twenty20 venues is also not beyond any question given they already have undergone a massive renovation work before the ICC World Cup 2011.
Asked why the SBNS, a stadium that was completely refurbished at a cost of nearly Tk 90 crore, would be needed another Tk 10 crore, the BCB chief executive said a large chunk of the budget will be spent on a new giant screen.
‘Lord’s have four giant screens and we thought our home of cricket should have at least two. It will eat up most of the budget that has been allocated for the Sher-e-Bangla this time,’ he said.
-With New Age input
