Sports Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted a raid at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters in Mirpur on Tuesday.
A three-member ACC enforcement team began the operation around 12 PM, targeting suspected corruption in team selection processes and financial dealings within the BCB.
Speaking to the media, Mahmudul Hasan, an ACC official, stated:
“We are investigating allegations of corruption, particularly in the selection process for cricket leagues under the BCB, and possible illegal financial transactions.” One of the focal points of the investigation is the 2023 team selection for the Third Division Qualifying Round.
According to Hasan, the application fee was reduced from Tk 5 lakh to Tk 1 lakh, leading to a surge in applications—from only a handful in previous years to 60 teams this time. The ACC suspects this abrupt increase may be linked to irregularities in team approvals, and related documentation has been seized for further examination.
The ACC also raised concerns over ticket sales during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
“From the 3rd to the 10th BPL seasons, total ticket revenue was shown as Tk 15 crore. But in the 11th season alone, when BCB managed ticket sales directly, revenue jumped to Tk 13 crore,” Hasan said.
He noted that this discrepancy raises serious questions about transparency in previous seasons, prompting a deeper investigation.
The ACC has vowed to thoroughly verify the collected documents and take appropriate legal measures if evidence of corruption is found.
The BCB has yet to issue an official response regarding the raid or the ongoing investigation.
