BCB tweaks its constitution with aim to launch TV channel

The BCB has made two amendments to its constitution with a view to launching its own TV channel at the 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Dhaka on Sunday. The board wants to ensure that all competitive cricket in the country is broadcast, this channel will bridge any gaps.

“We want to show domestic cricket on TV. Everyone feels it will raise the standard of cricket in the country. People can then see the quality of umpiring in domestic cricket, for example.”

Amendments have been made to sub-clauses 6.17 and 6.20 which fall under the “Scope and Responsibilities” section of the Constitution of BCB. New sub-clause 6.17 allows the Board to increase its financial transactions and banking activities. New sub-clause 6.20 talks about the option to create “one or more trusts, companies, societies/foundations as may be necessary to achieve ancillary objectives including enhancement of infrastructure, economic, commercial and social facilities for the development of cricket throughout the country”.

BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chaudhary said the idea was not to turn the national board into a “business venture”, but the board needed to strengthen its legal framework to launch a TV channel.

“As per our legal advice, we have made amendments to bring more vibrancy to our financial transactions and banking activities,” Chaudhary said. “As you know there are many standards of Bangladesh Bank which we have to fulfill to do banking transactions.

“(That BCB is looking to become a business enterprise) is wrong information. There is a difference between the formation of a company and the floating shares of a company in the stock market. We have a plan to create BCB TV, for that we have to come up with a legal framework through the constitution of BCB.”

The AGM brought together BCB’s 170-plus councilors (or members) from diverse backgrounds, most of them from the 64 districts of Bangladesh.

The BCB has long promised to create regional cricket bodies and although most of the cricket in these regions is run by ad hoc committees, board officials, based mainly in the capital Dhaka, have not allowed them autonomy. According to BCB chief Hassan, regional bodies must first prove themselves before being granted independence.

“Regional cricket bodies cannot be freed from central interference unless we are satisfied with their work. They are not independent now. But our big picture is to make them independent bodies. This is not decentralization. It is concentration. We are decentralizing from Dhaka, eventually it will be decentralised.

BCB has allocated BDT 2 million (USD 17,400 approx) to each body to organize the tournament in the coming months. “We have asked them to organize a T20 tournament as a trial run. We will give them BDT 2 million initially. We will see how they perform and spend this money,” Hassan said. “We are not giving them money blindly. Not all districts are getting money. Only those who organize cricket are getting money.”