No broadcasters yet for NZ tour of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not received any bids for the broadcasting rights of the home series against New Zealand in October. A tender was floated for the TV rights on July 15 and but the BCB did not receive a single bid until the deadline passed on Thursday afternoon.

"There were no bids within the given deadline," BCB's acting CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. "We have extended the deadline now, and are also in discussion with companies who have called us during the last two weeks in regards to the TV rights. We will stay in discussion with them and talk to those who apply for the tender too."

The last home series between Bangladesh and West Indies was telecast on Channel 9 after its parent organisation Virgo Media Ltd bought the worldwide broadcasting rights by paying $50,000 at the time. BCB has been without a permanent broadcaster since their botched-up six-year deal with Nimbus ended in March 2012.

In August last year, the BCB floated a tender for a TV deal that extended from November 2012 to April 2016. There were just a few interested parties and to find more potential buyers, BCB extended the tender deadline twice and even made changes to the initial tender. The deal But still it didn't attract many, and those who were interested, offered far less than what was BCB's expectations.

The BCB will continue to look for a broadcaster for just the New Zealand series, as it is currently in transition having been run by the ad-hoc committee and with the board election set to be scheduled over the next month. It is likely that elected directors and president will take a decision on the long-term broadcasting rights of the BCB.