Dhaka, Dec. 27 -- The first phase of this year's BPL - rebranded as the Bangabandhu BPL - drew to a close in much the same way that it started its stay in the capital: in front of gaping swathes of empty seats in the stands of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

On December 17 it started an eight-day phase in Port CIty Chattogram. But the most prestigious, and most commercially successful domestic sporting event of Bangladesh is consistently failing to draw the kind of crowds people, including the organisers BCB, have come to expect from the previous 6 seasons. The vacant galleries are a sure sign that the devoted fans, who give time and money to go watch games, are not into it.

Right from the event-opener on December 11, there ...