<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 tournament, the most popular domestic tournament of the country is all set to back in old format as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will sell the franchise rights for the coming three years.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The BCB will float the tender for the franchise rights for 2023-2025 within a week, its president Nazmul Hassan Papon said after the Board's of Directors meeting on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The BCB also fixed the date of the BPL for the coming three years with the 2023 BPL running from January-February 16, 2024 BPL from January 6-Febraury 17 and 2025 BPL from January 1-Febaury 11.</div><div><br></div><div>Nazmul Hassan Papon informed that they are willing to make the BPL a seven-team tournament in the next year and will also increase the number of the team if there is any opportunity.</div><div><br></div><div>The last two year's BPL was not held in traditional format due to Covid-19 situation. In 2020-2021 BPL was held with just local players as the Covid-19 created mayhem around the world. The BCB sold the franchise rights for just one year in this year to mark the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</div><div><br></div><div>"In the meeting, it has been decided when the BPL will be held in the next three years." Because, we'll give the franchisees team for three years, that means they have to buy the rights of the teams for next three years from 2023-2025. Now that the date has been fixed, the rest will be decided within a week," BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said.</div><div><br></div><div>Explaining the reasons for selling franchise rights for a long period of time, the BCB boss said, "Giving the team for a long period of time gives the franchisees time to fix their own plans. But that doesn't mean that everything will be as before. Some changes may come. We will advertise everything clearly. The terms and conditions will be decided in a few days.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Dynamites, Rangpur Riders, Khulna Tigers and Comilla Victorians have been the regular franchisees of BPL for some years now. Comilla Victorians played the last special BPL but none came.</div><div><br></div><div>BCB president however believes that the old franchisees will come back and re-energize the BPL. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>