Chaos over tickets before BPL opener, Miraz’s car gets stuck in the crowd
Durbar Rajshahi's team bus could not enter through the main gate and had to use an alternative route to reach the stadium.
The opening day of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium witnessed severe chaos outside the venue. Thousands of fans gathered at the ticket counter near Gate No. 1 from early morning in hopes of purchasing tickets. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had previously announced that tickets would only be available online or at seven designated branches of Modhumoti Bank. Many fans were seemingly unaware of this information.
Fans waiting in long queues expressed frustration upon discovering no tickets were available at the counter. One fan, a regular purchaser from this counter, voiced his disappointment, stating he had assumed tickets would be available there as usual. Many others faced similar confusion and demanded that the counter be reopened for ticket sales.
The situation escalated near Gate No. 2 as frustrated fans tore down promotional banners and posters for the BPL, expressing their anger. Some began shaking the metal gates, prompting law enforcement to intervene with baton charges to disperse the crowd. While the crowd scattered momentarily, clashes between fans and police continued sporadically.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The unrest disrupted the arrival of teams and players. Durbar Rajshahi's team bus could not enter through the main gate and had to use an alternative route to reach the stadium. Similarly, Khulna Tigers captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz faced challenges reaching the ground as his car was caught in the crowd.
To restore order, the authorities eventually deployed military personnel. Around 12:30 PM, the gates were opened, allowing fans with online tickets to enter by presenting either printed or digital copies for scanning. Inside the stadium, however, the stands remained largely empty until the match between Fortune Barishal and Durbar Rajshahi began, gradually filling up later.
Ticket sales had been scheduled to commence the previous day at 4 PM but were delayed by almost two hours. The delay triggered unrest at Modhumoti Bank's Mirpur branch, where ticket seekers vandalised property. The unrest persisted outside the stadium from morning until 10 PM, with fans staging protests throughout the day.
