BCB President Faruque Ahmed has explained the chaos surrounding ticket sales for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Speaking to the media at Mirpur yesterday, he emphasized patience and perseverance for achieving success in any new venture. He said, “Whenever something new is introduced, there are challenges everywhere in the world. Even for the World Cup, people have to wait hours to buy tickets.” Ahmed assured that the ticketing issues for the BPL would be resolved after the first few matches.
On the opening day of the BPL, fans faced significant difficulties obtaining tickets, leading to frustration among spectators. Some even attempted to break the stadium gates in protest. However, Ahmed dismissed these incidents as isolated acts, attributing them to a specific group of individuals (around 50–100 people) who, in his opinion, aim to disrupt the event or create unrest. He stated, “I was personally there and observed the situation. I don’t believe those involved in gate-breaking were genuine ticket-seekers. This was done deliberately.”
BCB is gradually modernizing the ticketing system, starting partially with this BPL. Ahmed acknowledged that limited preparation time before the tournament caused certain complexities. On the first day, some fans faced issues with the server while trying to verify their National ID for tickets, though this problem was resolved later. Additionally, tickets reached sales booths late, causing initial inconvenience. Ahmed expressed confidence that a fully modernized system would eventually benefit the BCB.
He remarked, “We will be able to generate more revenue from ticket sales than the initial expenses. A significant amount of money can be raised, which will contribute to cricket’s development.” Ahmed explained that with online ticketing, funds would directly enter the BCB’s bank account, eliminating third-party involvement and reducing complications.
Ahmed also addressed concerns about digital vulnerabilities, such as hacking. He assured fans of robust security measures, saying, “This stadium has a capacity of just over 26,000, and not a single ticket beyond that will be issued. Each ticket will include a QR code and VDS system, ensuring it cannot be forged or hacked.” Furthermore, he confirmed that the revenue generated from ticket sales would be transparently disclosed.
