BCB President urges fans to be calm after chaos over BPL tickets
Earlier in the day, frustrated fans, unable to secure match tickets, resorted to breaking down the BCB’s main gate prior to the start of the game.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President, Faruque Ahmed, has called for patience following disruptions surrounding the distribution of tickets for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The 11th edition of the franchise tournament was inaugurated today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, ahead of the opening match between Fortune Barishal and Durbar Rajshahi.
Earlier in the day, frustrated fans, unable to secure match tickets, resorted to breaking down the BCB's main gate prior to the start of the game.
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During the opening ceremony, Faruque Ahmed addressed the issue while speaking to the tournament's official broadcasters. He expressed hope for a smooth execution of the tournament despite the challenges.
"Let the games take the field first; that is what matters most," he stated when asked about the excitement surrounding the tournament. "We have attempted to initiate something new for Bangladesh through this BPL and hope to carry that forward."
The BCB President also urged fans and media to refrain from paying heed to rumours and to exercise patience.
"We have received a tremendous response for tickets. Initially, they were made available online. I acknowledge that every new system may encounter flaws in its initial stages. I request everyone to remain patient. Within seven days, the situation will become clearer, and the benefits will be evident to all," he assured.
He also appealed to fans with online tickets to maintain discipline in the queues, stressing the importance of order during the ticketing process.
The confusion surrounding ticket sales has led to two consecutive days of disturbances in the stadium area.
On Sunday, the BCB had announced that tickets would not be sold at booths near the stadium. Instead, they were made available online and at designated branches of Modhumoti Bank. However, trouble began when fans were unable to secure tickets from the bank branches as expected.
The BCB's handling of ticket distribution remains under scrutiny as the tournament progresses.
