Bangladesh Premier League's defending champions Fortune Barishal have requested the BPL governing council to reschedule the tournament as they are struggling to prepare for the tournament on short notice.

The league's governing council had recently announced that the upcoming edition of the BPL will consist of only five teams and shall commence from mid-December. Following the announcement, the body also invited Expression of Interest for franchise ownership rights for BPLT20.

"The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially opened the process for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from reputed business houses, companies, and entities for the acquisition of Franchise Ownership Rights in the Bangladesh Premier League T20 (BPLT20)," BCB said in a statement on Sunday (October12).

"The rights will be granted for five consecutive editions, [from the] 12th-16th seasons of the tournament," it added.

"The BCB has outlined ten (10) potential franchise regions as follows: Barishal, Chattogram, Cumilla, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Sylhet.

"As part of a transparent and merit-based process, the BPL Governing Council will consider a minimum of five (5) eligible EOI submissions for the 12th edition of the BPL T20 (2026)," it added.

Since the announcement was made there has been wide-scale speculation that Fortune Barishal will not be part of the tournament, though their owner Mizanur Rahman begs to differ.

"I haven't said that I won't play in the BPL. All I said is that in this short span of time it will be difficult for a team like us to play, and so we wanted them to extend the time. Everyone is calling me and I told them (BCB) that it's too small and it is becoming impossible for a team like us (to prepare for the tournament)," Mizanur told Cricbuzz.

"Even if we have players, we have to organize the funds and the instruments that we need to buy [players], we have to bring them and in this one or one-and-a-half months even if we work for 24 hours we cannot do that. I have requested for a different slot and now let's see what they say.

"I haven't said that we won't play but if the slot is changed in that case we would...because we have always been with the game and we are not out of the game," he said.

"I don't think any good team will be willing to play in this short time and you can even ask Rangpur (Riders), and what I feel is that team that doesn't have the experience will be willing to play.

"I just wanted to buy some time...We can do it in April and May, and what is the problem?! You can give the team (for the next cycle) and give us some time so that we can organize it well. I don't think there is any point in doing it just for the sake of it and I don't think it would be right to do BPL without us," he said.

Mizanur also cleared air about their skipper Tamim Iqbal after the former international announced that all kinds of cricket is being boycotted under the leadership of newly elected BCB president Aminul Islam.

"I don't think there is any such thing (that Tamim won't play in BPL) and I think he said about it (boycotting cricket) regarding normal game," he said. "If the BPL happens I will request him to play and I feel that if Barishal plays he will play."

Continuous rain for four days has disrupted daily life in Barisal city and surrounding areas, exhausting residents but bringing joy to farmers. Like previous days, many were forced to spend their time indoors due to the rain on Tuesday.

Daily wage earners, students and low-income people are in extreme trouble due to rain.

Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the Barisal weather observatory, said 83.1mm of rainfall was recorded in the 24 hours till 3pm.

He added: "This is seasonal rainfall. It usually rains like this during the monsoon".

The weather official also said that after reviewing the weather forecast, it can be said that the rain may continue like this for the next two to three days and then decrease slightly.

In this weather situation, sea ports have been asked to show signal No three and river ports No one, the weather office sources added.

However, farmers are happy with the rain.

They said the rain will fertilize the soil at the right time for sowing paddy seeds in the fields.

Meanwhile, important areas of Barisal city were filled with water due to the continuous rain.

Water has been trapped in the dead canals and drains, and garbage has come up on the roads.

Waterlogging has also occurred in many places.

Anwar Hossain, a resident of the Rupatali Housing area, said: “It has become difficult to go outside due to the continuous pouring rain. The dirt from the drains is creating more difficulties in moving on the roads.”

Yusuf Ali of the same area said: "Water has accumulated at the mouth of Rupatali Bazar and on the eastern side of the Gol Chattar area.”

Hamidul Islam, a resident of the Kaunia area, said: "The continuous rain has caused waterlogging in every lane."

He added: "Drains have not been cleaned throughout the year. Only a few large drains have been cleaned. That will not solve the problems of the entire city. If we do not pay special attention to the congested areas, our suffering will not decrease.”

However, Abid Hossain, a resident of the Baherchar area in Babuganj upazila, said this rain is very beneficial for rice seedbeds.

"Continuous rain will soften the fields, which will facilitate our cultivation. The fertility of the soil also increases with rain," he said.

Aminur Rahman, a farmer from Sapania, said: "It is difficult to raise cattle and goats. The animals cannot go out to eat. However, this rain is very good for farming. So farmers are happy with such rain."

At least six Jatiyo Party men, including an adviser to Chairman GM Quader, were injured in an attack on a protest rally in Barishal today.

The rally was organised to protest the recent vandalism and arson at GM Quader's house in Rangpur, said party leaders.

The incident occurred around 4:30pm on Fakirbari Road in Barishal city, where the metropolitan and district units of the Jatiyo Party had jointly organised the demonstration as part of a central programme.

Witnesses said a group of youths attacked protesters with sticks shortly after it began, spreading panic. JP activists then retaliated and detained one of them. Later, they handed him over to police after a beating.

However, police claimed that no one was taken into custody.

Among the injured in the rally were Prof Mohsin Ul Islam, adviser to JP chairman; Akhtar Rahman, joint convener of Barishal metropolitan unit; Abdul Jalil, district member secretary; Nazrul Islam, president of the district unit of Jubo Sanghati; Rafiqul Islam, general secretary of the city unit; and party activist Md Jumman, said party sources.

All the injured were treated at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Professor Mohsin Ul Islam Habul, who led the rally, alleged that the attack was a premeditated one by "miscreants who tried to disrupt a peaceful rally".

"They attacked our activists with sticks and local weapons without any provocation," he said at the event, adding, "We demand an investigation to identify the attackers, which party they belonged to, and who incited them."

He added, "Our activists showed courage in resisting them and handed one over to the police. Such attacks on political programmes undermine democratic practices."

Asked, Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman of Barishal Kotwali Model Police Station, in the evening, said the youth who was beaten by the crowd was not officially detained.

"We have not received any written complaint yet. Once we do, legal action will be taken after investigation," he added.