BCB has put the BPL 2026-27 season on hold amid financial and operational concerns.
According to Tamim, the BCB has experienced significant losses as a result of the competition and does not wish to stick with the current model. Interestingly, the franchise-based T20 competition usually takes place between December and January.
The board has recently spoken with franchise representatives about financial guarantees and payment arrangements, following a number of problems in previous years.
"The BPL will not happen this year," Tamim told reporters, as per PTI.
Tamim announced while launching the Game Development (GD) Trophy, a new tournament featuring Bangladesh’s under-17, under-19 and under-23 teams.
While BPL has seen some top-tier players being drafted in, it has failed to match the success of franchise leagues in countries such as India, the UAE, and Australia. According to Tamim, the BCB has also been handling issues with bank guarantees and unpaid bills. He claims that during the previous two years, the board has lost about $3.3 million from the BPL.
"The BPL is a great product, and there is a lot of interest in it. If we can do it properly, the interest will increase even more. BCB is supposed to make a profit from franchise cricket, not a loss. So, until we fix this, holding a tournament at a loss is not important,” Tamim added.
Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo reported that the BCB suffered losses of nearly 400 million Bangladeshi taka ($3.27 million) during the last two BPL seasons.
Tamim stated that while he acknowledged the players' disappointment, he thought it was more crucial to reconstruct the event.
"If I were a player, I'd be disheartened too. But they also know that this tournament should be staged in a way that the BCB can be proud of. Are we proud of what has happened over the last few years? Perhaps not,” Tamim added.
In recent months, the BPL has encountered several problems. Following an anti-corruption probe into the competition, the BCB punished a player and several team officials in May for betting offenses.
In the previous season, domestic cricket players boycotted games due to remarks made by BCB official Nazmul Islam, who criticized players and questioned their financial worth. As a result, numerous matches Consequently, the BCB rescheduled numerous matches.
Although it would take some time to resolve the issues, Tamim stated that the BCB is dedicated to reviving the competition. Bangladesh's experience with the BPL makes the reform even more crucial, according to Tamim, who has been named chairman of the International Cricket Council's new Franchise League Committee.
"Our intention is 1,000 percent to host BPL. But I do not want to rush. I want to do it properly; if it takes six months or 12 months, I will take that time. If franchise cricket does not run properly in my country, then stopping it and rebuilding it will be a big message for my committee,” Tamim concluded.
The board has begun engaging with existing teams and intends to conclude the franchise process by April or May of next year, providing it time to consider alternatives if a club defaults. He also stated that the board was open to overseas franchisees.
(PTI inputs)