The cricket fans in Bangladesh are likely to be deprived from watching the West Indies-Bangladesh series as none of the local TV channels – GTV and T Sports – bought telecast rights to the games till this report was filed Wednesday evening.
Bangladesh are set to take on hosts West Indies in the first Test of the two-match series in Antigua Thursday.
The Test series will be followed by three T20Is and as many ODIs.
The occasion is the first that the cricket fans in Bangladesh will not be able to see live match of the national team away from home.
Bangladesh Cricket Board is helpless in the matter as it is the responsibility of the host board and other parties involved.
“No broadcaster has expressed their interest to telecast the series. You know that this is something not within our control as this is all about the responsibilities of the host board [Windies Cricket]. They will telecast the series through their designated right holders,” said BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury to the media.
It is understood that the issue is within the consortium – formed by the two sports TV channels, four marketing agencies of the country and one sports marketing company – Total Sports Management.
TSM is responsible for buying feed from the host country and sell to the other parties of the consortium in Bangladesh.
It has been learnt that the marketing agencies and the broadcasters have been in dispute with TSM over several matters for a long time now and thus decided to boycott purchasing the feed for the West Indies-Bangladesh series.
A similar situation had occurred ahead of Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year.
The consortium then however, was able to put the differences aside a day ahead of the series and the matches were shown live on television.