Bangladesh Cricket Board’s new ad-hoc committee, chaired by Tamim Iqbal, has made its first substantive move since taking office on Tuesday, approving sharp increases in domestic match fees and monthly retainers for both women and men.
Until now, female players were collecting as little as BDT 1,000 – roughly £6.50 – per one-day fixture, a figure that only crept that high a couple of seasons back. Tamim admitted he was taken aback when he heard the number. “This may not be ideal, but it is certainly an improvement, considering there are limits to how much can be increased at once.”
Under the revised scale, women will receive:
• BDT 10,000 (about £65) for T20s
• BDT 15,000 (£95) for 50-over games
• BDT 20,000 (£130) for first-class matches
The top 36 women on the domestic circuit will also see their monthly salaries rise from BDT 30,000 (£190) to BDT 40,000 (£255).
Men, too, have been lifted. Monthly retainers move to:
• Category A – BDT 65,000 (£415)
• Category B – BDT 50,000 (£320)
• Category C – BDT 40,000 (£255)
First-class match fees for men climb from BDT 70,000 (£445) to BDT 100,000 (£635).
“There has been little increment in the past three to four years,” Tamim said. “I think the players were highly underpaid in the previous salary structure. These players work hard, and cricket exists because of their efforts. At the very least, they deserve fair compensation.”
The increases will be back-dated to 1 January 2026, giving players an immediate financial boost once paperwork clears. While the figures still lag behind leading domestic competitions elsewhere, several senior cricketers told this writer the uplift is “the biggest single step” they have seen since turning professional.
Former Bangladesh all-rounder and current commentator Khaled Mahmud considers it overdue. “If you want to keep talented youngsters in the system, you must make the game a viable career. This goes double for the women’s game, where options outside cricket can look a lot more stable,” he said.
Economists who track South Asian sport finance note the board remains cautious, aware that a sudden spike in overheads can strain budgets long-term. Dr Sadia Rahman of Dhaka University argues the staggered approach makes sense. “Salaries need to head north, but the board must also ring-fence funds for infrastructure, coaching and age-group pathways.”
Beyond pay packets, the committee announced individual portfolios for its eleven members and confirmed that resolving the long-running impasse with Dhaka Premier Division clubs is next on its agenda. Tamim hopes to see that league up and running “within a fortnight”, though negotiations on scheduling are still delicate.
No one inside the BCB is pretending today’s move solves every structural issue. Yet, as veteran batter Fargana Hoque put it: “At least we feel heard. That matters.”
A second round of reviews is pencilled in for later this year, suggesting that, for once, the follow-up may arrive before the feel-good headlines fade.
