‘An alternative must be made’

A decision by the National Sports Council (NSC) to allocate Sylhet District Stadium to football has sent shockwaves throughout the city's cricket community. The NSC is set to sign a 22-year agreement with the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), handing over the historic Rikabibazar ground — long considered the heartbeat of Sylhet cricket.

Under the proposed agreement, partly funded by FIFA, the BFF will develop and maintain the stadium for the entire duration of the contract. Crucially, the deal reportedly bars cricket pitches from being laid at the venue for a duration of 22 years. The NSC will retain income from stadium market rentals and a share of revenue from any international fixtures held there.

The Sylhet Cricketers Association has condemned the move as irrational and is preparing to launch a formal protest, while cricket coaches have also voiced strong opposition, warning that the decision could devastate grassroots cricket in the region.

Led by association president Imtiaz Hossain Tanna, cricketers and organisers have already submitted a formal letter urging Sylhet district Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwoer Alam to reconsider the decision. They have also attempted to contact Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, who is also from Sylhet.

"We are trying to follow the right process. At the moment we are asking them to allow us to use the ground for at least four months a year while we find an alternative. We don't need it 12 months a year. We have the first division league, second division league and school cricket to host — plus a small tournament that takes seven or eight days. That's all we ask," Tanna told Daily Sun.

"People forget how many national cricketers came through this ground and made Sylhet proud at the international level. And people think Sylhet International Stadium is ours to use freely — but it stays busy with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) programmes. That misconception is hurting local cricket badly," he added.

Sylhet district BCB coach Rana Miya echoed the frustration, revealing that the crisis has already disrupted ongoing competitions. "School cricket is nearing its end and I cannot even start the tournament here because we have no ground to play on. I work for BCB and I am helpless. This year we hosted the first division league and needed to complete the second division to keep things running — but the venue issue has stopped all progress," he said.

Club organiser Ali Wasiquzzaman Chowdhury sees little hope in the current situation. "We, along with the clubs and players, have submitted a letter to the DC stating that either we should be allowed to continue playing, or an alternative arrangement must be made. Allocating venues without any alternative in place creates serious problems," he said.

"I have spoken with many players and they are deeply disappointed — and they are looking to us for answers. But we too are helpless. The league had finally resumed, sponsors had come on board for both the first and second divisions, the organisation was in good shape. And now, another stoppage. It is always difficult to secure sponsorships, but we had managed it — and now we cannot even finish what we started," he noted.

The stadium has historically hosted cricket, football, and hockey across their respective seasons, and has served as the breeding ground for some of Bangladesh's finest cricketers, including Alok Kapali, Rajin Saleh, Tapash Baisya, Abu Jayed Rahi, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Syed Khaled Ahmed, and Zakir Hasan. Hundreds of young cricketers from various academies across the city currently train at the ground.

The venue also carries a rich and storied history. One match in particular remains a talking point to this day — when Sri Lanka's Arjuna Ranatunga, who would later lead his country to World Cup glory in 1996, turned out for local club Anirban. The opposing Gymkhana side featured Golam Faruq, then a member of the Bangladesh national team.

In the years that followed, the Sylhet ground attracted a glittering array of international talent. Sri Lanka's Romesh Kaluwitharana and Asanka Gurusinha graced the turf, as did Indian cricketers, the late Raman Lamba and Ajay Sharma. Bangladesh's national players were regular fixtures in the Sylhet league, and former captains Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Aminul Islam Bulbul, and Akram Khan all carry vivid memories of a competition that was fiercely contested and handsomely rewarded.