Tamim eyes quick restart of Dhaka Premier League amid stalemate

Tamim Iqbal, head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's newly formed ad hoc committee, said on Wednesday that starting the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) at the earliest is a key priority for the new administration.

The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, the BCB body tasked with organising Dhaka's club cricket, had earlier announced that it would meet DPL clubs on April 8. However, the meeting was eventually postponed, and Tamim said he is keen to sit with club representatives at the earliest.

Professional cricketers in Bangladesh had grown increasingly impatient with the standoff between the Aminul Islam-led BCB and Dhaka's clubs, a tussle that has dragged on for seven months.

The impasse has stalled the DPL, prompting several cricketers to voice their frustration on social media, even as the Cricket Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) continues efforts to resolve the deadlock.

With Tamim taking over the reins, there is renewed hope that the deadlock between the clubs and the BCB will ease, paving the way for the DPL, Bangladesh's premier List A competition and a key pathway for national team talent.

"Regarding the Dhaka Premier League, we have decided that we will immediately sit with each team and hold discussions with them. Our target is to announce the player transfer window as soon as possible and get the tournament started on the ground quickly," Tamim told reporters on Wednesday after the second board meeting of the new administration.

"There is some concern regarding venue availability, but if necessary, we are even willing to rent grounds. Because now there are several private academies that are good enough to host List A matches. So if needed, we will go down that route," he added.

Tamim said the board has decided to significantly increase salaries and match fees for first-class cricketers, while also addressing long-standing pay issues in women's domestic cricket.

"We have also taken a few other decisions regarding our first-class players, both men's and women's. To be honest, I was personally quite surprised today after reviewing some of the figures," Tamim told reporters.

According to Tamim, the revised structure will cover all eight National Cricket League (NCL) teams, with contracted players set to benefit across three categories. Category A players will see their monthly salaries rise from Tk 35,000 to Tk 65,000. Category B players will earn Tk 50,000, up from Tk 30,000, while Category C players will see an increase from Tk 25,000 to Tk 40,000.

Tamim described the previous structure as inadequate. "Over the past three to four years, there has been almost no increment. Again, I believe this is highly underpaid. They put in immense effort, and it is because of them that we have this cricket board and this cricket structure today," he said.

Match fees for first-class cricket have also been raised from Tk 70,000-75,000 to Tk 1 lakh per match. The revised structure will be effective from January 1, with players set to receive adjusted payments retrospectively once contracts are finalised.

"It is already April, and for this year, four months have passed, yet they have not received their salaries, probably because contracts have not been signed. So whenever they receive their payments, it will be calculated from that date," Tamim added.

The board has also moved to address disparities in women's domestic cricket payments. Tamim noted that match fees had once been as low as Tk 1,000, later increased to Tk 5,000 - figures he termed unacceptable.

"Do you have any idea how much our women cricketers are paid as match fees in domestic cricket? At one point it was just Tk 1,000... which I feel is completely inadequate," he said.

Under the revised structure, women players will earn Tk 10,000 for T20 matches, Tk 15,000 for one-day games, and Tk 20,000 for longer formats. Monthly domestic contract salaries have also been increased from Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000, with around 30 to 35 players currently under contract.

Tamim acknowledged that further increases were constrained by the need to maintain a gap with national contract structures. "The lowest category in the national contract is Tk 60,000. So even if we wanted to increase domestic salaries further, we had to maintain that gap," he explained.

Tamim added that the board is also considering changes to the schedule of the New Zealand series, set to begin on April 17, in line with government directives to conserve electricity, although he did not provide revised timings.

Following the latest board meeting, Tamim outlined a new committee structure, confirming that the cricket operations department will remain unchanged for now due to its sensitive nature. Some committees are yet to be finalised and will be announced later.

He identified cricket operations as a critical area, stressing that the board is keen to avoid disruption as it works towards conducting elections within three months.

"One of the most important areas is cricket operations. Since our primary goal is to ensure a smooth and timely election within three months, we felt this is a very sensitive department," Tamim said.

"If we appoint someone new or try to add input at this stage, there is a chance of disturbance. So we have collectively decided not to make any appointments in cricket operations for now. Any matter or inquiry coming from that department will be discussed and decided at the board level," he said.

Elsewhere, responsibilities have been distributed among board members to ensure continuity.

Tamim will oversee the working committee and facilities, while Fahim Sinha will handle game development and the Bangladesh Premier League. Rafiqul Islam Babu has been assigned grounds, with Tanjil Chowdhury overseeing age-group cricket.

Marketing and disciplinary matters will fall under Salman Ispahani, while Rashna Imam will oversee the women's wing alongside medical and complaints. Financial and welfare responsibilities will be handled by Israfil Khosru, with Syed Ibrahim Ahmed in charge of security, tender, and purchase. Minhajul Abedin Nannu will lead the tournament committee, Mirza Yasir Abbas will manage logistics, and Athar Ali Khan will head the umpires' committee.