Dhaka Premier League Revival: BCB Nears Deal to Restart

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-04-10

After seven long months of frustrating uncertainty, Bangladesh's premier List A cricket competition, the Dhaka Premier League, looks like it's finally getting back on track. The newly appointed head of the BCB's ad hoc committee, Tamim Iqbal, has made restarting the tournament one of his top priorities. It's a move that's brought a huge sigh of relief to players and fans who've been stuck in limbo. The whole stalemate started with a dispute between the Bangladesh Cricket Board, led by Aminul Islam, and the representatives of Dhaka's clubs. That disagreement left the entire league frozen, with professional cricketers caught in the middle. Many took to social media to voice their growing frustration, and the Cricket Welfare Association of Bangladesh even stepped in to try and help, but real progress was hard to come by. Now, with Tamim leading a new committee, there's a fresh sense of direction. He made it clear in a recent press conference that fixing the DPL situation isn't something the board plans to drag its feet on. A meeting with club reps, originally set for April 8th, got postponed, but Tamim promised talks would happen at the earliest possible moment. ### A Clear Path Forward Emerges So, what's the actual plan? Tamim laid out some concrete steps. He told reporters, "Our target is to announce the player transfer window as soon as possible and get the tournament started on the ground quickly." That's pretty straightforward, and it's exactly what everyone's been waiting to hear. One of the big practical hurdles is finding enough places to play. The board has a solution ready for that, too. They're prepared to rent private academy grounds if they need to, noting that several of these facilities are now up to the standard needed for List A matches. It's a smart, flexible approach to a real-world problem.  ### Major Pay Raises for Domestic Players But restarting the games is only part of the story. The new administration also used this moment to announce a massive and long-overdue overhaul of domestic player payments. For years, players felt they were being left behind. - **First-Class Match Fees:** Increased to Tk 1 lakh (about $850) per match, up from the previous range of Tk 70,000 to 75,000 (about $595 to $637). - **Monthly Salaries (NCL):** Category A players will now earn Tk 65,000 (about $552) per month, a significant jump from the old rate of Tk 35,000 (about $297). Tamim didn't mince words about the old system, calling it "highly underpaid" for the level of effort required. He pointed out that the pay had seen virtually no increase in three or four years. This new structure is a clear attempt to fix that and show players their value.  ### A Historic Boost for Women's Cricket Perhaps the most striking part of the announcement was the focus on women's domestic cricket. The previous pay scales were, frankly, shocking. Tamim himself seemed amazed by the numbers. The reforms here are substantial: - **Match Fees:** T20 fees rise to Tk 10,000 (about $85), one-day games to Tk 15,000 (about $127), and longer formats to Tk 20,000 (about $170). This is up from a base that was as low as Tk 1,000 (about $8.50) not long ago. - **Monthly Contracts:** For the roughly 30 to 35 contracted women players, monthly salaries will increase from Tk 30,000 (about $255) to Tk 40,000 (about $340). It's a landmark moment. While Tamim acknowledged they still have to keep a gap between domestic and national contract rates, these changes are a massive step in the right direction. They address grievances that have built up for years and signal a new commitment to the sport at all levels. With the player transfer window expected to be announced soon and club discussions lined up, the return of the Dhaka Premier League feels more real than it has in months. It's not just about getting back on the field; it's about building a better, fairer foundation for Bangladeshi cricket.