BCB Announces Central Contracts: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially confirmed its new list of centrally contracted players for the 2026 season, expanding the pool and restructuring pay grades. As BCB announces central contracts for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2026, the board has increased the total number of contracted men’s players from 22 in 2025 to 28 this year.
The players have been placed into four categories-Grade A, B, C, and D-with revised monthly retainers based on performance and role within the national setup.
Taskin Ahmed Moves from A+ to Grade A
Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who was the only player in the elite A+ category last year, has been moved to Grade A this season. Taskin missed Test cricket in 2025 due to an Achilles injury but remained active in white-ball formats.
In 2025, he picked up 8 wickets in six One-Day Internationals and claimed 24 wickets in 13 T20 Internationals. Across his international career, Taskin has taken 49 wickets in 17 Tests, 117 wickets in 83 ODIs, and 106 wickets in 86 T20Is.
Grade A Players and Salary Structure
Grade A features four key members of the Bangladesh national team. Each player in this category will receive 800,000 Bangladeshi Taka per month (approximately ₹6 lakh).
| Grade | Players | Monthly Salary (BDT) | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed | 800,000 | ₹6 lakh |
Grade B Includes 11 Players
The Grade B category consists of 11 cricketers, including experienced campaigner Mushfiqur Rahim, who retired from ODIs in March last year and has now been placed in this group.
Other players in Grade B include:
- Mominul Haque
- Taijul Islam
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Towhid Hridoy
- Hasan Mahmud
- Nahid Rana
- Shadman Islam
- Tanzid Hasan Tamim
- Rishad Hossain
- Sheikh Mahedi Hasan
Players in this grade will earn 600,000 BDT per month (around ₹4.5 lakh).
Four Players Earn Promotion
Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Rishad Hossain, and Sheikh Mahedi Hasan have been promoted to Grade B following impressive performances.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim emerged as Bangladesh’s leading T20 run-scorer in 2025, scoring 775 runs in 27 matches. Meanwhile, Rishad Hossain was the team’s top wicket-taker in white-ball cricket, claiming 33 wickets in 25 T20Is and 17 wickets in seven ODIs.
Grade C and Grade D Breakdown
Grade C includes six players who will receive 400,000 BDT per month (approximately ₹2.9 lakh).
| Grade | Players | Monthly Salary (BDT) | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Soumya Sarkar, Zakir Ali Anik, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed | 400,000 | ₹2.9 lakh |
Grade D features seven emerging or fringe players. They will receive 200,000 BDT per month, which is roughly ₹1.5 lakh.
| Grade | Players | Monthly Salary (BDT) | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanvir Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Shamim Hossain, Kazi Nurul Hasan Sohan | 200,000 | ₹1.5 lakh |
]Stronger Squad Depth for 2026-BCB Announces Central Contracts
With the announcement that BCB announces central contracts for a larger pool of 28 players, the board appears focused on strengthening squad depth ahead of a packed international calendar. The revised structure rewards consistency while also recognising emerging talent.
The new contract system reflects Bangladesh cricket’s evolving strategy-balancing experienced performers with rising stars as the team prepares for major global tournaments in 2026.