The defending champions, Fortune Barishal, who are owned by Fortune Shoes, have formally withdrawn from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), leading to major turmoil ahead of the league’s upcoming five-season cycle. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will have to reevaluate its franchise structure for the 2025–2026 season as a result of the decision, which was made just weeks before the player draft.
According to reports, Barishal’s management had earlier requested a postponement of the new season, citing insufficient preparation time to build a competitive squad. However, with the BCB confirming that the next edition is likely to begin around December 19 and the player draft scheduled for November 17, their request was declined. This has ultimately led to the franchise’s exit from the league.
11 new bidders for BBL franchise ownership
According to Cricbuzz, despite Fortune Barishal’s departure, the BPL continues to attract massive business interest. The BCB received 11 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from prospective owners before the October 28 deadline. These include both returning investors and new entrants proposing teams across key cities such as Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Noakhali.
List of EOI Submissions:
- Champions Sports Limited (Dhaka Capitals)
- Triangle Services Limited (Chattogram team)
- SQ Sports Enterprise Limited (Chattogram Kings)
- First SS Enterprise Pvt Ltd (Kumilla Fighters)
- Togi Sports Limited (Rangpur Riders)
- Bangla Mark Limited (Noakhali team)
- Mind Free Limited & Ruposhi Concrete Product Limited (Khulna team)
- Akashbari Holidays and Resorts (Barishal team)
- Desh Travels (Rajshahi team)
- Nabil Group of Industries (Rajshahi team)
- JM Sports and Enterprise (Sylhet team)
BCB president Aminul Islam confirmed that the board would now assess each applicant’s financial capability before conducting individual interviews. “We have received these 11 EOIs. The next step is evaluating their financial strength, and we’ll begin interviews from October 30,” Aminul said, before confirming Fortune Barishal’s absence from the list.
The BCB has also received the final report from its three-member independent inquiry committee investigating corruption and fixing allegations during the 2024–25 BPL season. Headed by former Justice Mirza Hussain Haider, the committee submitted a 900-page report after nine months of investigation.
The BCB revealed that several players have been named in the report for alleged wrongdoing, though their identities have not been disclosed publicly. BCB vice president Shakhawat Hossain stated that charge-sheeted players would be barred from participating in domestic tournaments.
“Look we don’t have the authority to disclose their names but everyone will understand eventually when they will not be allowed to play, and you must understand that we are not a court. Everyone has individual rights and human rights so if someone have done something with a particular sport and his charge is framed in that case that individual will be kept away from the game.”
Bangladesh Premier League – Winners List
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Result | Player of the Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dhaka Gladiators | Barisal Burners | Won by 8 wkts | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2013 | Dhaka Gladiators | Chittagong Kings | Won by 43 runs | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2015 | Comilla Victorians | Barisal Bulls | Won by 3 wkts | Ashar Zaidi |
| 2016 | Dhaka Dynamites | Rajshahi Kings | Won by 56 runs | Mahmudullah |
| 2017 | Rangpur Riders | Dhaka Dynamites | Won by 57 runs | Chris Gayle |
| 2018 | Comilla Victorians | Dhaka Dynamites | Won by 17 runs | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2019 | Rajshahi Royals | Khulna Tigers | Won by 21 runs | Andre Russell |
| 2022 | Comilla Victorians | Fortune Barishal | Won by 1 run | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2023 | Comilla Victorians | Sylhet Strikers | Won by 7 wkts | Najmul Hossain Shanto |
| 2024 | Fortune Barishal | Comilla Victorians | Won by 6 wkts | Tamim Iqbal |
| 2025 | Fortune Barishal | Chittagong Kings | Won by 3 wkts | Mehidy Hasan Miraz |
The post Champions Fortune Barishal pulls out of BPL; 11 new franchises submit bids for next cycle appeared first on Inside Sport India.
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