Bangladesh cricketers release 11-point demand list to BCB ahead of India tour

A hastily-arranged press conference on Monday by Bangladesh’s top-cricketers was organized to help them voice their concerns over the growing discontent over how cricket was being run in the country.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan expressed his concerns over the new rules that were introduced for the Bangladesh Premier League and stated that cricketers were being suppressed in the nation. The Bangladesh Cricket Board brought out a mandate of having a compulsory leg-spinner as well as a 140kmph+ bowler on each side in order to strengthen the national side.

The players have put forth 11 demands in front of the BCB and have stated that they won’t resume cricketing activities unless all the demands were met. This statement meant that they won’t be taking part in the ongoing National Cricket League season. Players like Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal were present at the press conference along with domestic players.

Mashrafe Mortaza failed to make it to the press conference and clarified his absence later through a Facebook post, putting his support behind the cricketers.

"I have been asked several times why I wasn't present with the cricketers. I think it is best to ask the players. I wasn't aware of this movement. Definitely, this was in discussion, and they were making preparations. The first I heard about their strike was when I saw their press conference....I have always been with cricketers and if I had known about their plan, I would have been with them. I have questioned myself why I wasn't made aware. But it is more important than their 11-point demands are met. All of their demands are fair, and necessary for the betterment of cricket and cricketers."

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Demands of the cricketers are as follows:

#1 The number of players handed national team central contracts must increase.

#2 Salary of groundsmen must increase. The local coaches here get very little in terms of salary and a foreign coach’s salary sometimes equates to the salary of 20 local coaches. The umpires need more financial security if we want them to carry on the task as professionals and it is the same for physios and trainers. It’s time we give priority to Bangladeshis.

#3 We play two domestic leagues with four-day matches, namely the BCL and NCL. Bangladesh Premier League is the only one-day format tournament. There must be another one-day format introduced. There should also be another T20 tournament before the BPL.

#4 The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president and secretary will have to step down with immediate effect. The players will choose who will become CWAB president and chairman through election. The Bangladesh cricketers deserve much more respect.

#5 The Dhaka Premier League has to go back to previous ways of how players used to deal with club officials and how the players used to hold power over which team they could play for and what their salary would be.

#6 The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has to go back to the system of the previous year. The disparity between salary of local players and international players must end and there should be a more balanced salary structure. The players must be able to decide the grade in which they belong.

#7 The match fee of the first-class cricketers should be one lakh Taka. Our salaries must be increased by 50 percent.

#8 Indoor facilities like gym and ground conditions must improve. Coach, physios and trainers must be appointed throughout the 12 months of the year. Even if the facilities cannot be ensured immediately, we want it to be ensured before next season begins. Every division has to have practice facilities so that players do not have to travel to Dhaka. The quality of balls used in first-class cricket must improve. The daily allowance of 1,500 Taka, allocated for players by the BCB is not adequate and the amount must be considered so that the players can meet the demands of fitness level that is required by the BCB. The plane fares of the players must be ensured by the BCB when the players travel for games. No allowance is needed for the players but the hotels they reside in must contain gym and swimming pool since the players go through a rough time after each day of a four-day game. The bus service afforded to the players when they go to the ground must be improved

#9 The owed salaries of the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), must be paid on time.

#10 The rule that a player cannot play more than two franchise-based tournaments in a year must be overturned.

#11 There must be a fixed calendar before the start of the domestic league.