Bus driver locks Durbar Rajshahi players' kits, cricketers stranded in hotel as unpaid salaries spark BPL drama

Durbar Rajshahi’s foreign players are stranded in the team hotel in Dhaka as the Bangladesh T20 franchise has failed to make the payments to its players despite missing multiple deadlines. The players, who were stranded in the Dhaka team hotel as of Sunday, have also failed to speak to the owners who have not been picking up calls and did not arrange return tickets.

The Durbar Rajshahi’s foreign players currently facing payment issues are Mohammad Haris (Pakistan), Aftab Alam (Afghanistan), Mark Deyal (West Indies), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe) and Miguel Cummins (West Indies).

Durbar Rajshahi players stuck in team hotel

Durbar Rajshahi were knocked out of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Saturday after Khulna Tigers defeated Dhaka Capitals on the last day of the league stage.

Meanwhile, Cribuzz has reported that several local players have left the hotel without being paid. The foreign players, however, are waiting for payment and return tickets.

“I just spoke with Ryan Burl and others and they said that they are yet to receive their dues,” a BCB official told Cribuzz. “I am in regular contact with Rajshahi’s owner and he is just saying that he is trying to get it done. Just yesterday, Bangladesh’s sports adviser (Asif Mahmud) had met him and asked to clear the dues as soon as possible and he had agreed.

“By February 7, players should have received 75 percent of their payment while the rest should be cleared by March 8. Unfortunately that is not the case with Rajshahi which is hugely embarrassing.”

Angry bus driver locks Durbar Rajshahi players’ kits

The situation of delayed payment has been so poor at Durbar Rajshahi that its bus driver even locked away the kit bags. Both local and foreign players found their belongings trapped inside the bus as the driver refused to return them until his outstanding payment was settled, the report stated.

“It’s a matter of regret and shame. If they had paid us, we would have given back the kit bag to the players. Till now, I have not opened my mouth but now I am saying that we can leave if they clear our payment,” Bus driver Mohammad Babul said.

“The kit bags of local and foreign cricketers are there in the bus but I cannot give them as large portion of our remuneration is yet not paid.”

Last month, the foreign players had refused to play in a group-phase game in the BPL due to lack of payments while the local players had boycotted training sessions.