DHAKA, Oct 22, 2019 (BSS)-Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon is shocked at the way the cricketers called for an unprecedented strike and stopped all kind of cricketing activities to press home their 11-point demand.
According to the BCB boss, most of the demands were met and the rest of the demands are in the process to be met.
“I can’t understand as to why they need to call for a strike to press home their demands. Most of the demands that they raised were met while the rest of the demands are in the process to be met and they know that,” Papon said here on Tuesday.
What was hard to fathom for Papon that the players didn’t feel any necessity to let the board know about the demands.
“Personally I have very good rapport with the players. They (players) came to me when they fall in any kind of problems, be it the family problems or personal problems. My door is always open for them. So why they don’t feel any necessity to inform me about those. Even they didn’t let it know to any board directors.”
“It is really shocking that they chose to let the matter know the media first before informing BCB. The right path is to let the BCB know first and it’s the procedure.”
On Monday, players raised 11-point demand of which they key points were that they demand respect from Board, restoration of the previous pay structure in Dhaka Premier League and also said that at least Tk one lakh match fees for the National Cricket League, country’s traditional first-class tournament of the country.
Players demanded that there should be at least 30 players in national payroll and 50 per cent rise in the salary of first-class players.
Currently the BCB, which has 18 nationally contracted players 79 first-class contracted players while BCB pays Tk 35,000 as match fees for NCL.
The players also raised their voice against BCB for dropping the franchises from the upcoming edition of BPL and requested them to reconsider the decision.
BCB announced earlier that they have decided to drop the franchises from this year’s BPL and retain the ownership of all teams itself.
The decision raised fear among the players that they their payment could get reduced under the new format.
Players also demanded the resignation of the office bearers of Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh as they believe the organization is not looking after them and it is run unconstitutionally.
The players threatened that they won’t participate in any kind of cricketing activities in the foreseeable future until the 11-point demands are met. Papon said that the door is open for them to sit with BCB at any time.
“What they want, I really can’t understand. As I said earlier that most of the demands were met and the rest is in process. Still they can sit with us. And the door is ajar for them. Now it’s their choice,” he said.
The BCB chief also said that he also is very shocked about the players’ behavior as they didn’t receive the phone call of BCB.
“After raising their demands, they chose not to talk to us. What is that, I can’t understand. If they have any demands, they should meet us to talk on this.”