Bangladesh pushes to criminalize match-fixing after BPL scandal

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is working with the government to introduce a law that would make match-fixing a criminal offence, following a major corruption scandal in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

BCB Integrity Unit counsel Mahin M. Rahman said the move comes after the BPL Governing Council barred nine cricketers from this year’s BPL auction based on a 900-page investigation report into fixing and corrupt activities during the previous season.

In an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport, Rahman said the BCB plans to engage directly with relevant government authorities to establish a clear legal framework. "In several countries, including Sri Lanka, it has been criminalised, and it has been done very specifically in relation to cricket. They have criminalised it in a way that directly targets cricket," he said.

He explained that the proposed legislation would fall under penal law but would likely exist as a separate statute rather than being incorporated into the existing Penal Code.

Raman also said that the law could be introduced through an ordinance or parliamentary process. He said the absence of a single law has complicated enforcement, with cases currently handled under different mechanisms such as the Anti-Corruption Code and the Gambling Act. “That would give the whole system a structure,” said Rahman. “All of it will come under one single law, and we are working on that.”

Formal discussions with the government are expected to take place after Bangladesh’s next general election, scheduled for February 12, 2026.

Rahman also noted that efforts to criminalise gambling-related offences have been ongoing, citing a public-interest writ he has filed challenging online gambling, in which the court has directed the government to formulate appropriate regulations.