The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has approved the long-awaited Centre of Excellence project, with president Tamim Iqbal confirming that work will begin soon after a redesign of the original plan.
Speaking after Wednesday’s board meeting, Tamim described the project as one of the most significant decisions for the future of Bangladesh cricket.
“One of the most significant decisions for Bangladesh cricket is that we are moving ahead with the Excellence Centre project. We received the board’s approval today, and work will begin very soon,” Tamim said.
The BCB held a meeting with architectural consultancy firm Populous on July 22 to discuss the National Cricket Ground project in Purbachal, of which the Centre of Excellence is a key component. Populous had prepared the original design several years ago.
Tamim said the board wants changes to both the stadium and the Centre of Excellence to better reflect its long-term vision.
“As you know, Populous prepared the original design a few years ago. We invited them for a meeting on the 22nd to discuss the project. As I mentioned in my previous press conference, we believe some changes are needed to both the Excellence Centre and the stadium design,” he said.
According to Tamim, the existing design does not fully match the vision he has for the Centre of Excellence, prompting the board to request a revised plan from Populous.
“The Excellence Centre I envision does not fully align with the original design, so we have asked Populous to redesign it. We also discussed the outstanding payment of US$900,000 owed to them. Once we receive the revised design, we will make the next decisions,” he added.
The BCB has decided to finance the Centre of Excellence from its own funds, while government support will be required to build the Purbachal stadium, which is expected to play a key role in Bangladesh’s plans to host matches during the 2031 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
“The board has agreed that the Excellence Centre will be completed using BCB’s own funds. For the stadium, we will require government funding. Bangladesh is scheduled to host matches in the 2031 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup,” Tamim said.
