Durbar Rajshahi players left stranded as cheques bounce again

The cheques issued by Durbar Rajshahi to their players for payment have bounced for the second time, leaving the cricketers in frustration and uncertainty.

While a fast bowler knows how many bouncers to bowl in an over, Rajshahi's players have no idea how many times their payment cheques will bounce. Even the franchise management seems clueless about resolving the issue.

In the first instance, cheques for several Rajshahi players had bounced. The franchise claimed the issue occurred because team owner Shafiq Rahman was abroad, and the bank couldn't verify the payments. However, this time, Shafiq is in the country, and the players deposited cheques signed by him. Yet, all the cheques submitted by Rajshahi players have bounced, with bank authorities notifying the players via text messages that their payments would not be credited.

Following a dramatic victory over Rangpur Riders with an all-domestic XI on Sunday, Rajshahi captain Taskin Ahmed jokingly remarked in the post-match press conference, "Hopefully, the cheques don't bounce like the Mirpur pitch." However, before the match, the team's players endured a series of challenges. On the day of the match, the franchise abruptly changed their hotel from Westin to Sheraton. Hours before the game, the foreign players informed the management they wouldn't play against Rangpur unless their payments were cleared.

Even the participation of domestic players was uncertain until a few hours before the match. Rajshahi management managed to appease them by issuing cheques for 25% of their payment. Anamul Haque Bijoy even posted a picture of the players with their cheques on Facebook, captioned, "All is well." While the domestic players ultimately agreed to play, the foreign players remained firm in their stance. They refused to open their doors even when management brought cash to resolve the issue.

Despite the odds, Rajshahi secured the win with their domestic players. After the match, videos emerged of a team official celebrating with the players at the hotel. However, just days later, the players were let down again when their cheques bounced. By Tuesday evening, none of the players had received their payments.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one player said they have come to realise they might never receive their dues. He also mentioned not receiving their daily allowances. The player said, "We received 25% of our payment after much struggle last time. This time, we felt relieved when we got the cheques. But after depositing them, we're back to the same situation. Earlier, at least only some of the cheques bounced because not everyone had deposited theirs. This time, all of us who submitted cheques found they had bounced. No one got any money. The bank texted us saying the payment won't go through. After seeing that message, we were speechless. There's nothing more to say."

The players are frustrated not only over unpaid salaries but also their allowances. They were owed daily allowances for 18 days but were paid for just four days on Monday, leaving 14 days unpaid. Another player said, "This is our livelihood. They're not paying our salaries, and they owed us 18 days of allowances. From that, they've only paid four days. This is unacceptable. They are businessmen who keep track of their own finances, but why this treatment towards us? We're doing our job on the field, but they aren't fulfilling their responsibilities. How many times will they break their promises? Only God knows where this will end."

The players' irritation has been building for some time. Earlier, when they didn't receive the first 25% of their payment, Rajshahi's players boycotted practice for a day in Chattogram and even threatened to boycott matches. Although no such incidents occurred in Chattogram, similar issues arose in Mirpur, leading to serious discussions about boycotting matches. Despite this, the franchise hasn't resolved the payment issues.

On Saturday, two BCB directors promised to resolve the matter within 48 hours. However, the situation has only worsened. BCB Cricket Operations Chairman and BPL Governing Council Member Secretary Nazmul Abedeen Fahim said the board is closely monitoring the issue. On Tuesday, he stated, "We've discussed the matter with those who haven't cleared payments yet. They've made some commitments. We've conveyed our expectations and deadlines clearly to them. They've assured us they will comply. However, unlike before, when we used to wait and see, we'll now follow up regularly to ensure they meet their promises."

He added, "We've had detailed discussions with those who are significantly behind. We talked about how they plan to overcome this deadlock. They've made some promises, and we've given them time to fulfil those. But as I said, we'll monitor them closely and keep them under pressure to ensure players are satisfied with their payments."

When asked about the latest allegations of bounced cheques, Rajshahi's manager and former national opener Mehrab Hossain Opi said, "There was a game development meeting today, so I came to the ground early. I'm not aware of the situation. I'll find out when I go back to the team hotel. No player has informed me about this yet. Since they haven't said anything, I don't want to comment. I haven't received my payment either. The owners gave me a date, so I'm waiting for that. However, all the other players have been paid 25%. Another 25% payment was issued the day before yesterday."