BPL Franchise “Darbari Rajshahi” Under Scrutiny Over Unpaid Player Salaries

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is once again making headlines due to the non-payment of player salaries, with Darbari Rajshahi facing severe criticism. The franchise has failed to pay its staff and foreign players, leaving several prominent cricketers stranded in a Dhaka hotel. This is not the first time the franchise has faced such issues, as players had previously boycotted a match due to similar payment delays.

Darbari Rajshahi’s owner, Shafique Rehman, had claimed that return tickets for foreign players had been booked, but as of now, these players remain stuck in the hotel due to unpaid dues. According to reports from CricketBuzz, Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Haris, Afghanistan’s Aftab Alam, West Indies’ Mark Deal and Miguel Cummins, and Zimbabwe’s Ryan Burl are still waiting for their payments. These players have not received any clear response from the team management despite making attempts to contact them.

Mohammad Haris has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about the situation, prompting immediate action. The PCB has contacted both Haris and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to resolve the issue. Haris’ flight to Islamabad is being arranged today.

The situation has worsened with local players of Darbari Rajshahi also leaving the hotel, but they, too, have not been paid. The franchise even failed to settle dues with the team bus driver, who responded by locking the players’ kit bags and equipment inside the bus. Bus driver Mohammad Babul expressed his frustration, saying, “If we were paid, we would return the players’ belongings. Until a significant portion of our payment is settled, I cannot return their items.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken note of the issue and formed an investigative committee to examine the reasons behind the delayed payments. Meanwhile, the police have taken Darbari Rajshahi’s owner, Shafique Rehman, into custody.

In addition to these financial troubles, Darbari Rajshahi’s performance in BPL 2025 was disappointing, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs. The team won only 6 out of their 12 matches and finished fifth in the points table. Their final match of the season was played on January 27 in Dhaka, against Sylhet Strikers.