It has been more than two months since the Dhaka Premier League concluded with Gazi Tank Cricketers lifting the title for the first time. However, the majority of the 12-participating clubs are yet to pay their cricketers in full for their service. It was learnt that most of the cricketers have only received 40% of their respective remuneration.
By contrast, the 56 cricketers and the team staff from the recently concluded Amber Victory Day Twenty20 have already been paid in full.
Four teams participated in the week long tournament in which Prime Bank Cricket Club emerged as the champions. The Victorians received Tk2m while the runners-up earned Tk1m. The total budget of the tournament was Tk27.5m and each team had a budget of Tk4.3m.
Each side had 14 cricketers in total, off which three were ‘A’ Category cricketers entitled to Tk 250,000 each while the other 11 were of ‘B’ Category who received Tk150,000 each. This rounded up to a total of Tk2.4m paid to the cricketers for their services. Each coach was paid Tk110,000, the managers received Tk50,000, physiotherapists Tk25,000 and team boys Tk 10,000 each.
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan assured timely payments for the cricketers ahead of the tournament and has lived up to his word.
“All the cheques are ready. Prime Bank and UCB BCB XI players and officials were paid right after the final match. Many of the cricketers from Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club have also received their payments,” BCB game development chairman Khaled Mahmud told the media yesterday.
The cricketers received payments for the Victory Day Twenty20 largely due to the commitment of the BCB president. However, the scenario is different for the Dhaka Premier League and many of the cricketers have still not been paid for the second edition of Bangladesh Premier League which took place in February last year.
