Tamim and Mosaddek urge for fair payments ahead of DPL kick-off

Ahead of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL), Mohammedan Sporting Club captain Tamim Iqbal and other team captains have called for payment assurances amid growing concerns over player salaries.

In Bangladesh cricket, it seems that whenever a domestic tournament is organised, the main topic of discussion revolves around player payments. The most recent Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) was riddled with payment issues. Despite agreeing to play for reduced wages, some players still did not receive their dues in full. A similar situation appears to be unfolding ahead of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL). On the eve of the tournament, Mohammedan Sporting Club captain Tamim Iqbal repeatedly emphasised the need for payment assurances. He was joined by other team captains in voicing the same concern.

 Ahead of the competition, a trophy unveiling ceremony was held on Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, with all 12 team captains present. When asked about their expectations for the season, most captains highlighted the issue of payments, unanimously hoping that players would receive their full dues on time.

Following recent political changes, all DPL teams have significantly reduced player salaries—by more than half in many cases. Players who previously earned 30-40 lakh BDT are now receiving less than 10 lakh, while those who commanded 70-80 lakh are now seeing half of that amount. Despite accepting these reduced wages, players remain focused on ensuring they are paid on time.

Tamim, who recently took over the captaincy at Mohammedan, said, "I always believe the Premier League is the backbone of Bangladesh cricket. While good cricket and fair umpiring are important, what matters most is ensuring the players are paid properly. That is my main concern. We know the situation in our country is a bit different."

"Regardless of the circumstances, players have suffered—whether it is in the BPL or the Premier League. I hope clubs honour their commitments and that every player receives their full payment. Beyond that, I hope for good cricket and that the board addresses issues with umpiring. Our aim is to finish the league smoothly, but again, my primary focus is on players getting their full payments," he added.

Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, the long-serving captain of Abahani, echoed Tamim's sentiments. He said, "This year will be challenging for us. As Tamim bhai mentioned, payment is a big issue. Because of this, we couldn't retain many players this year. But I believe we still have some great players who can help us move forward and achieve good results. The biggest issue in the Dhaka League is payment. Clubs need to fulfil their commitments, and players deserve to receive their full payments."

Enamul Haque Bijoy, the new captain of Gazi Group Cricketers, aims to lead by example and expects the same from his teammates. The right-handed batsman said, "This year, I will try to contribute to the team and bring out my best performance. Gazi Group has been a strong team, playing good cricket for many years. I hope to help the team achieve a strong position through good performances."

Sabbir Rahman, now leading Partex Sporting Club, is embarking on a new chapter in his career. The right-hander, who has been out of the national team for a while, also spoke about the payment concerns. He said, "As Tamim bhai mentioned, this league will be challenging for us. Payment is a big issue. We hope everything goes smoothly. It's a new chapter for me as Partex captain, and I hope to meet everyone's expectations."

Despite players voicing concerns about payments, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has ambitious plans for this season. The DPL will be broadcast live, with one of the four daily group-stage matches shown live and the others streamed on BCB's YouTube channel. Additionally, for the first time, third-umpire technology will be used.

Mohammad Salauddin, BCB director and chairman of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), said, "Since there will be TV production, we have included the option for umpires' call reviews. This will be in place from the very first day. We had lengthy discussions about this. I thank all the team captains for attending today, and I hope this year's league will be more exciting than ever."