The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is taking steps to improve cricket’s future in the country by reviewing its development structure. The focus is on grassroots growth, enhancing age-group cricket, and ensuring sustainable development for both players and coaches.
This decision was announced on February 4 following a meeting at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, led by BCB president Aminul Islam, and attended by key members involved in cricket development and high performance.
Board directors, including Nazmul Abedin, Khaled Mashud, Khan Abdur Razzak, and Amzad Hussain, joined CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury at the meeting. Other attendees included the national selection panel chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain, tournaments manager Abu Emam Mohammed Kawsar, national team assistant coach Mohammed Salahuddin, and several senior coaches and selectors.
A significant proposal discussed was the creation of a National Cricket Academy for Under-23 players, which would facilitate their transition from age-group to senior cricket.
In its official statement, the BCB outlined the main areas for review.
“The meeting assessed the current grassroots and age-group cricket structure, determining its effectiveness and identifying key improvement areas. Emphasis was placed on reassessing the age-group selection process and enhancing age verification methods for greater transparency and reliability,” said BCB.
The board also stressed the importance of motivating coaches and advancing data-driven strategies.
“A key point was the introduction of an incentive system for coaches who successfully nurture players. The meeting also pointed out the need for a comprehensive player database to aid long-term planning and performance evaluation,” the statement mentioned.
Coaching development was another major topic, with the BCB recognizing the need for better career pathways and financial arrangements.
“We discussed improving the salary structures for coaches at divisional and district levels. There is also a need for a clearly defined career pathway for coaches, along with the formation of a Curriculum Review Committee to update coaches’ training programs,” the statement noted.
As part of its infrastructure improvements, the BCB also announced plans to develop eight cricket hubs throughout the country. The first phase will include 137 new wickets across Khulna, Barishal, Fatullah, Cox’s Bazar, Bogura, Rajshahi, BKSP, and Purbachal.
This plan calls for 15 wickets in Khulna, 23 in Barishal, eight in Cox’s Bazar, 10 in Bogura, 12 in Rajshahi, 13 in Fatullah, 19 at BKSP grounds No. 3 and 4, and 13 in Purbachal. BCB officials believe this initiative will improve the organization of district leagues starting next season. Director Abdur Razzak highlighted the project’s significance.
“From a cricketing perspective, this is a substantial initiative. If successful, the first phase will be completed on time, facilitating district leagues outside Dhaka next season,” Razzak said.
