Sylhet Desk: The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is the country’s most glamorous cricket event, featuring both local and international stars. However, concerns over the management of the tournament resurface each year, and this time is no exception. The Sylhet leg of BPL kicked off today, Friday, with 12 matches scheduled over six days, following a one-day break.

Tickets for the Sylhet leg went on sale last Wednesday (January 24), priced at BDT 200, 400, 800, and 2500. Unsurprisingly, the lower-priced tickets of BDT 200 and 400 were in highest demand. Ticket counters were crowded with eager fans, but within just half an hour, it was announced that tickets had sold out, leaving many disappointed.

Despite the high demand and claims of tickets being sold out, the stadium remained largely empty during today’s first match, with only around 5,000 spectators scattered throughout the stands, leaving vast sections vacant.

Investigations revealed that a large portion of the tickets had ended up in the hands of black marketeers. Allegedly, some officials involved in ticket sales had passed a significant number of tickets to these resellers, who were selling them at inflated prices.

At the stadium entrance, many frustrated fans were seen searching for tickets. Some eventually resorted to buying from black market sellers at a premium price.

Sagar Roy, a fan from Bishwanath, said, “I stood in line at the ticket counter on Wednesday, but within half an hour, they declared the tickets sold out. Still, I came today hoping to get in. Now I see the black marketeers have plenty of tickets! I had to buy a BDT 200 ticket for BDT 400 to enter the stadium.”

Khabir Miah, who came with his family from Sagor Dighir Par, expressed his anger, saying, “I heard tickets were sold out. I came today with the hope of getting one. If not, I was ready to leave and visit a tea garden instead. But outside the stadium, I saw black market sellers with plenty of tickets. I had to buy four BDT 400 tickets for BDT 550 each.”

When this reporter attempted to speak with three ticket sellers outside the stadium, none were willing to disclose their identities. One of them simply said, “We got the tickets from somewhere, you figure it out!”

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