BCB Follows BCCI's A+ Category Model As Bangladesh Central Contract List Announced

BCB announces men's central contract list [Source: AFP]

In a major update, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) revealed its new 28-member national men’s contract list on Thursday, February 19. This yearly contract decides which players receive official pay and support from the board. 

This time, the list has several noticeable changes, along with some new faces and some missing names.

Earlier, the BCB had already decided to reshape how players are grouped and paid. In 2025, the board moved away from the old format-based system that separated players by Test, ODI, and T20 categories. Instead, the players were placed into five grades: A+, A, B, C, and D.

Big changes in Bangladesh men’s central contract

Now, the latest contract has brought another big shift. The top A+ category has been removed. Therefore, players are now divided into four pay levels instead of five. This means the structure has become simpler, and salaries are distributed across fewer brackets.

Some well-known names are absent from the new contract. Notably, Test opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy did not make the cut this year. Notably, he has played 20 Tests for Bangladesh and scored 1,040 runs. In addition, he has appeared in three T20Is.

At the same time, the BCCI has also removed the A+ category from its central player contracts. For the 2025–26 season, the board has reorganised the contract system into three levels: A, B, and C. As a result, Grade A has now become the top tier in the new structure.

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At the same time, veteran cricketer Mahmudullah is also not included. He had a central contract until February 2025. However, he has now retired from all forms of international cricket. Therefore, his absence from the new list was expected.

On a positive note, the other 21 players who were part of the previous contract have retained their places.

BCB adds young players in contract list

Along with retaining most of the squad, the board has added seven more cricketers. These new inclusions are Shamim Hossain Patwary, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hasan, Nayeem Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Qazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, and Hasan Murad. Notably, their addition reflects the board’s effort to bring emerging talent into the national setup.

Players salary grades and player distribution

The new contract divides players into four grades with fixed monthly salaries.

Grade A includes four leading players: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das, and Taskin Ahmed. Each of them will receive 800,000 Bangladeshi taka per month.

Grade B: Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, and Nahid Rana. Players in this group will earn 600,000 taka monthly.

Grade C: Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali Anik, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, and Syed Khaled Ahmed. Their monthly pay is set at 400,000 taka.

Grade D consists of seven players: Saif Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanvir Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Shamim Hossain, and Qazi Nurul Hasan Sohan. Each of them will receive 200,000 taka per month.

BCB launches of ODOMMO Bangladesh T20 Cup 2026

In another important announcement, the BCB confirmed the launch of the ODOMMO Bangladesh T20 Cup 2026. The three-team tournament began on February 5. It aims to gather the country’s best T20 players and deliver competitive, fast-paced matches.

This tournament has gained importance since Bangladeshi cricketers felt disappointed after missing participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

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