The Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted a raid on the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters on Tuesday, as part of an investigation into multiple allegations of financial misconduct. A three-member ACC team visited the premises to collect documents and records, and later addressed the media alongside BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.
The probe centers around three main allegations: misappropriation of funds from ticket sales during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), irregularities in expenditure for cricket-related events tied to the “Mujib 100” celebration, and procedural discrepancies in the Dhaka Third Division Qualifying tournament. All of these incidents reportedly occurred during the tenure of former BCB president Nazmul Hassan.
“We will review all the documents we collected and submit a report to our enforcement unit,” said Al Amin, assistant director at the ACC. “Every raid by the ACC is based on specific complaints. These are verified and approved before any action is taken, just like in this case.”
One focus of the investigation is the stark disparity in BPL ticket revenues. Between the third and tenth seasons, total ticket sales amounted to BDT 15 crore (approximately USD 1.2 million). In contrast, the eleventh season alone generated BDT 13 crore (about USD 1.07 million). The ACC is now seeking documentation to clarify this apparent discrepancy.
There are also questions surrounding the finances of the “Mujib 100” program, which was intended to mark the centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth but was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the ACC, funds worth around BDT 17 crore (USD 1.4 million) may have been misappropriated.
“The program’s reported expenditure was BDT 25 crore, but actual spending appears to be around 17 crore. There are claims that expenses of up to 19 crore were not properly accounted for. We’ve requested those financial records,” Al Amin stated.
The ACC is also reviewing changes made to the Dhaka Third Division Qualifying tournament. During Nazmul Hassan’s presidency, the entry fee was increased tenfold, from BDT 50,000 (USD 412) to BDT 5 lakh (USD 4,000). This caused a sharp drop in participation, with only a handful of amateur clubs able to afford the fee. In contrast, when the fee was later reduced to BDT 1 lakh, over 60 teams applied.
“We’re investigating the low participation numbers in past years. It’s possible that personal influence played a role in team selection for the tournament,” said Al Amin. “We’ve collected the names of all teams that participated in the last five to seven years to compare eligibility criteria across seasons. Clearly, there wasn’t full freedom for clubs to enter in previous years.”
In response, BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury assured the ACC of the board’s full cooperation and said all relevant departments would be instructed to assist in the investigation and provide necessary documentation.
