Khulna is set to miss out on hosting matches in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) proposed new domestic tournament, as ongoing work at Khulna Division Cricket Stadium is unlikely to be completed within the required timeframe.
The tournament, tentatively named Bangladesh First, was expected to provide another opportunity for competitive domestic cricket to return to one of the country’s established cricket venues. The BCB had been planning to stage at least the group-stage matches in Khulna and at Jibanananda Das Cricket Stadium in Barishal. The semi-finals and final were being considered for Sylhet.
That plan, however, now appears to have changed. According to a source from the tournament committee, the matches originally earmarked for Khulna will not be held there because the necessary stadium work is not expected to be completed on time.
The fixtures could instead be shifted to Mirpur, with the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium being considered as a possible alternative venue. The revised arrangement has yet to be confirmed, and the BCB is still working on the final schedule and venue plan for the competition.
The tournament is tentatively being considered for late December or early January. No final date has been announced yet, leaving both the competition calendar and the distribution of matches across venues subject to further decisions.
The possible loss of the tournament will be another setback for Khulna, which has seen a significant reduction in the number of major cricket fixtures staged at its principal venue. Khulna Division Cricket Stadium is the only major cricket ground in the southern part of Bangladesh and has previously hosted international matches involving the national side.
The venue last staged an international match in January 2016, when Bangladesh played Zimbabwe in a four-match Twenty20 International series. The two sides shared the series 2-2.
Since then, Khulna has continued to feature in the National Cricket League, particularly through four-day matches, but opportunities to host other national-level competitions have been limited. The stadium has consequently remained outside the regular rotation for major domestic limited-overs tournaments.
The venue did welcome an international age-group series in July 2023, when Bangladesh Under-19 faced South Africa Under-19 in a three-match one-day series. Since that series, however, Khulna’s competitive cricket calendar has largely been restricted to four-day National Cricket League fixtures.
The proposed BCB tournament had offered the venue a chance to host a broader range of domestic cricket once again. For local supporters, the return of group-stage matches would have meant more opportunities to watch national-level players on home soil. The latest change means that prospect is unlikely to materialise for the upcoming edition.
If the matches are transferred to Mirpur, the capital will become a possible alternative for the fixtures originally planned for Khulna. Such a move would also alter the geographical distribution initially envisaged for the group stage, which was intended to include venues in both Khulna and Barishal.
The BCB has yet to formally confirm the tournament’s final name, dates and complete list of venues. Until those details are settled, it remains unclear exactly how many Khulna fixtures will be relocated and whether all of them will eventually be staged in Mirpur.
For Khulna, the development extends a lengthy wait for a return to a more prominent place on Bangladesh’s domestic cricket calendar. The city continues to host National Cricket League matches, but the latest venue change means the opportunity to stage the BCB’s new competition will have to wait.