Fortune Barishal has opted out of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) received Expressions of Interest (EOI) from 10 potential franchise owners on the final day of submissions. Iftekhar Rahman Mithu, a member of the BPL governing council, confirmed this development at the BCB headquarters.
The BCB had identified 10 regions for potential franchise ownership, including Barishal, Chattogram, Cumilla, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet. Among the interested parties, Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Capitals, Khulna Tigers, and Chittagong Kings were the only teams that participated in the previous BPL season.
Rangpur Riders will remain under the Bashundhara Group, while Walton and Remark Harlan have applied for ownership of the Dhaka Capitals franchise. Desh Travels has submitted an application for the Rajshahi Kings franchise ownership. Despite past financial disagreements with the BCB, Chittagong Kings have shown interest in continuing, with SQ Sports seeking ownership rights for the team.