In a major development on Tuesday, the Bangladesh government’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) raided the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters to investigate serious allegations of financial misappropriation and procedural irregularities. The three-member probe team was accompanied by BCB Chief Executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury during a post-raid press briefing.
Key Allegations Under Investigation
The ACC is examining multiple allegations that span several years of BCB operations under former president Nazmul Hassan’s tenure. These include:
- Misappropriation of BPL Ticket Revenues:
The ACC is probing a sharp inconsistency in ticket revenue from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Over eight seasons, total earnings were BDT 15 crore (approx. $1.2 million), but the 11th season alone generated BDT 13 crore (approx. $1.07 million). ACC Assistant Director Al Amin noted, “One of BCB’s revenue streams is ticket sales. We are trying to collect documents to find out what the anomaly is.” - Financial Irregularities in the “Mujib 100” Programme:
The cancelled 2020 celebration for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s centenary, known as Mujib 100, is also under scrutiny. Although expenses were listed at BDT 25 crore, the actual amount reportedly spent was around BDT 17 crore. “There’s an allegation that BCB didn’t report expenses worth BDT 19 crore,” said Al Amin. - Controversial Rule Change in Dhaka’s Third Division Tournament:
Another point of contention is the increase in entry fees for amateur clubs in the Dhaka Third Division Qualifying tournament. Under Nazmul’s leadership, the fee surged from BDT 50,000 to BDT 5 lakh (approx. $412 to $4,000). This deterred participation until the fee was later reduced. In 2023, when the entry fee dropped to BDT 1 lakh, 60 teams registered, suggesting a lack of open access in previous years. “We are trying to find out why only two or three teams applied in earlier years, while 60 clubs participated this year,” Al Amin explained. “There must have been some pressure that prevented wider participation.”
BCB Promises Full Cooperation
BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury assured the ACC of full cooperation and committed to directing all departments to provide necessary records. The ACC has collected a list of participating teams over the past five to seven years and will now compare them with this year’s applications to assess patterns and possible undue influence.
The ACC emphasized that the raid was not arbitrary but based on verified public complaints and media reports. “Every one of the ACC’s raids is based on specific complaints that go through a verification process,” Al Amin clarified.
As the investigation progresses, the ACC will submit a detailed report to its enforcement unit, which will determine any further legal or administrative action.
This marks one of the most serious corruption probes into the BCB in recent years, potentially impacting the credibility of the board and prompting wider calls for transparency in sports administration in Bangladesh.
