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Suspicion of spot-fixing in 140 incidents of five BPLs

In the last five editions of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), there have been approximately 140 incidents that have raised suspicions of spot-fixing.

36 such suspicious events were reported this season alone. More than 60 local and foreign players have come under suspicion—some even facing allegations more than once.

This brief set of numbers paints a grim picture of how deeply spot-fixing has taken root in the Bangladesh’s only franchise T20 tournament.

The scale of corruption can also be measured in monetary terms. Though betting is illegal in Bangladesh, it remains legal in many other countries.

Betting websites regularly list BPL matches and even promote them with BPL logos in advance. According to sources, in legal international betting markets, around USD 5–6 million is wagered per BPL match. In illegal markets, the figure can be 9–10 times higher—bringing the total to nearly USD 50–60 million per match.

BPL: ‘The most corrupt league in the world’

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) closely monitors the BPL. In every edition, they have sent lists of suspicious incidents and players to the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) Anti-Corruption Unit. The 2013 edition remains a rare exception where actual action was taken—largely due to pressure from the ICC. Since then, due to either reluctance, incapacity, or a lack of conclusive evidence, most incidents have not been thoroughly investigated.

Repeated inaction despite frequent warnings from the ICC has led to BPL being already widely labeled in international cricketing circles as "the most corrupt franchise league in the world."

BCB forms investigation committee again

However, the current BCB board under Faruque Ahmed has taken what appears to be a more serious step regarding spot-fixing allegations from the recently concluded 11th edition of BPL, held from 30 December to 7 February.

A three-member independent investigation committee has been formed, headed by former Appellate Division Justice Mirza Hossain Haider. The other members include internationally reputed legal expert Dr Khaled H Chowdhury and former cricketer Shakil Kasem—who was also part of BCB’s 2013 BPL tribunal.

A BCB source revealed that the committee has made substantial progress. Over the last three months, they interviewed nearly 50 individuals—including players, coaches, and franchise officials—at the BCB’s Gulshan office. The investigation report is now in the preparation stage.

Although the committee was initially tasked with looking into suspicious incidents from this season, evidence and testimonies have drawn their attention to earlier editions of the tournament as well. The committee is aiming to provide a set of comprehensive recommendations to help the BCB cleanse the BPL of the taint of spot-fixing once and for all.

140 suspected spot-fixing incidents in 5 BPL seasons

According to BCB sources, around 140 suspected spot-fixing incidents have taken place across the last five BPL seasons. ICC’s anti-corruption department reported these incidents and the names of individuals involved to the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) in detail.

In the most recent 11th edition alone, 36 suspicious events were identified—34 of them involving officials from just three franchises, while the remaining two are linked to a fourth. 50 such suspicious incidents were flagged in the previous season.

Across the five seasons, the ICC has flagged player involvement in spot-fixing 66 times. While the actual number of individuals is slightly lower due to repeated mentions of certain players, many of those who were named in the latest edition had also appeared in earlier lists.

Challenges in investigation

Bringing direct accusations of spot-fixing directly against anyone is difficult due to the lack of solid evidence or credible witnesses. Justice Haider's investigation committee has reportedly faced such obstacles, which are not uncommon in these types of cases. Questions have also been raised about whether the committee got adequate support from the BCB's ACU. Nevertheless, the committee may independently request necessary information from the ICC.

Committee members have not made public comments, but a source suggested that stronger action in earlier cases could have prevented BPL’s reputation from deteriorating, and repeat offenders might have been deterred.

Weak monitoring

Compared to other international franchise leagues, BPL has never enforced strict anti-corruption protocols. Though players and staff deposit their phones with the ACU during matches, there is no inspection of kit bags for hidden devices. Team boys and support staff move in and out without proper screening. Moreover, ACU representatives attached to franchises are often undertrained and unequipped to detect wrongdoing.

BCB ACU’s stance

Raiyan Azad, the head of BCB’s ACU, refused to comment when asked whether full cooperation was being extended to the probe committee. However, another ACU source claimed that all possible information from the last two seasons had been shared. The source added that due to ICC protocol restrictions, not all data can be disclosed to external parties. Prothom Alo asked why BCB’s ACU cannot share all data to the committee that is assigned by the BCB itself. The reply more or less was that the ACU's stance was that they believe they are capable of handling investigations themselves.

What the final report might contain

The final report is expected to list suspicious players, officials, franchises, and the incidents involved. It may also include recommendations such as further investigation of accused individuals and teams and engagement of international agencies or ICC units for advanced inquiry.

If international bodies become involved, the process could be lengthy. For instance, it took the ICC’s ACU nearly 18 months to formally charge a Bangladeshi cricketer recently penalised for spot-fixing in a foreign T10 league.