The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s new ad hoc committee, formed after the National Sports Council dissolved the board led by Aminul Islam Bulbul, held its first full meeting on Wednesday, 8 April, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. BCB president Tamim Iqbal chaired the session and announced a series of decisions covering governance, player welfare and upcoming fixtures.
Committee portfolios distributed
Committee responsibilities were formally confirmed at the meeting. Tamim himself took charge of the Working and Facilities Management Committee. Fahim Sinha was assigned game development and the Bangladesh Premier League, Rafiqul Islam Babu will manage grounds, Rashna Imam leads women’s and medical committees, Minhajul Abedin Nannu heads the Tournament Committee, and Athar Ali Khan takes charge of the umpires’ committee. Tanzil Chowdhury, who oversees age-group cricket, was also named the committee’s official spokesperson. Israfiul Khasru handles finance and welfare, Mirza Yasir Abbas covers logistics and protocol, Salman Ispahani oversees marketing, commercial and disciplinary matters, and Syed Ibrahim Ahmed is responsible for security and tender and purchase.
On the sensitive question of cricket operations, the board decided to leave the role vacant for now. “This is a very sensitive area,” Tamim explained. “If we bring someone new and give input, it may create disturbance. So we decided not to appoint anyone in cricket operations now.”
Women’s cricket pay overhauled
One of the sharpest decisions of the day concerned women’s player fees, which Tamim described as a source of genuine shock. “I was very surprised today. At one time their match fee was 1,000 Taka. Then it was proposed to be 5,000 Taka. That is not right,” he said.
He confirmed new match fees. “From now they will get 10,000 Taka for T20, 15,000 for One Day matches and 20,000 for longer matches. It is not perfect but it is much better.”
The number of contracted women players has also been increased, rising from approximately 32–35 to 40.
Men’s domestic salaries raised for first time in years
Domestic men’s cricketers have finally been granted a long-overdue pay rise, marking the first major adjustment to their compensation since 2023. Emphasizing the need to properly value these athletes, Tamim Iqbal noted that their hard work is the very foundation of the board, stating, “We must give them minimum respect.” Under the revised structure effective January 1, monthly retainers are set at 65,000 tk for Category A, 50,000 tk for Category B, and 40,000 tk for Category C. Furthermore, First-class match fees have seen an immediate and substantial boost, increasing from 70,000 tk to 100,000 tk, ensuring that the players driving the sport forward are more fairly compensated for their dedication.
The board moved quickly on the Dhaka Premier League, with officials directed to meet clubs immediately to fix transfer dates and get the tournament underway. Acknowledging a potential shortage of venues, Tamim said the board was prepared to rent grounds if necessary, including from private academies that meet the required standard.
New Zealand series: earlier start times to save electricity
In an unusual but timely move, the committee decided to adjust match start times for the upcoming New Zealand series to minimise floodlight usage, in line with a broader national push to conserve electricity. One Day matches are expected to begin at 11:00 or 11:30 am BST, while T20s may start at 2:00 or 2:30 pm. “The government is encouraging everyone to save electricity. We thought as a cricket board we should also play our part,” Tamim said.
The ad hoc committee has set itself a three-month window to organise a formal BCB election, after which an elected board would resume normal governance of the country’s cricket.
