Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been trapped in a boiling soup of controversies ever since refraining from playing the T20 World Cup 2026 in India due to security concerns. The deteriorating relationship with India prompted the board to shift all its matches to the co-hosting nation, Sri Lanka.
The speculations about Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament continue to worsen day-by-day. Meanwhile, the tensions escalate around the BCB finance chairman, Najmul Islam, who slammed those players with harsh comments seeking compensation if the national team pulls out of the tournament.
Before the commencement of the 25th and 26th matches of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26, all Bangladeshi players refused to take the field on Thursday (January 15, 2026).
Why Bangladeshi Players Refused to Play BPL 2025-26?
In response to Najmul Islam’s remarks, Bangladesh cricketers have demanded a boycott of all forms of cricket.
The players refrained from making their on-field appearance as they were firm with the stance of sacking Najmul from his position.
The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president, Mohammad Mithun, warned that if Najmul doesn’t resign, the BPL matches will be boycotted from Thursday onwards.
As cautioned, the double header contest on January 15 featuring Chattogram Royals vs Noakhali Express and Rajshahi Warriors vs Sylhet Titans was postponed without a toss.
Here is what Mithun said:
“Definitely! The BCB director’s remarks hurt the cricket community to a great extent, which is not at all acceptable. His resignation is the prime demand from our side. We will certainly declare a boycott of all cricket matches for Bangladesh starting from the BPL’s fixtures, if he doesn’t submit his resignation before tomorrow’s game,” the CWAB president said.
Bangladesh Cricketers vs Najmul Islam: Starting Point of the Controversy
It all started when Najmul Islam spoke about the minimal impact of BCB’s revenue if Bangladesh refused to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup. At the same time, he gave a blunt answer to the concerns about Bangladesh players receiving compensation.
However, the conversation took an unexpected turn when he opened up, criticising Bangladesh players for not winning a single ICC trophy. His statement left the CWAB as well as the Bangladeshi cricketers outraged, demanding his instant resignation from the BCB.
As a consequence, the toss session was delayed in Thursday’s double header contest of the BPL 2025-26.
Starting with the match between Naokhali Express and Chattogram Royals in Dhaka, none of the players from both teams attended the venue. This was because the cricketers’ demand was unfulfilled for the immediate sacking of Najmul.
Likewise, the match between Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans was abandoned without a toss. Due to the immense pressure from the public and players, BCB had no option but to take immediate action to remove Najmul from his position. However, it remains to be seen whether he remains as the BCB director or not.
BCB Strict Action Against Najmul Islam
Following the Bangladesh players’ revolt and boycott of BPL matches, BCB has taken stringent action by sacking Najmul Islam from his responsibilities as the finance committee’s chairman:
“Yes! After conducting a detailed review of the recent developments and considering the best interests of the organization, BCB had decided to remove Najmul Islam from his role immediately.
Respecting the cricketers’ interests is our top priority. The board promises to honor the dignity of all Bangladesh players under its governing authority.
We request all cricketers to exhibit the best professional standards and dedication to ensure the development of Bangladesh cricket, particularly in such challenging phases, ” BCB’s statement explained.
‘Won Any Global Title’? Najmul Islam’s Harsh Comments
When asked about the Bangladesh players’ compensation if the team opted out of the T20 World Cup 2026, Najmul Islam gave a harsh statement:
“See! Why would there be such circumstances? Did we ever ask about the crores and crores of Bangladeshi taka that we spent on them? First, you answer me on this.
We spent so much money on them, have they won any single global title or international awards? They haven’t been able to do their best in different places.
As one Bangladeshi crore is equal to £60,000+, let’s ask for the money back every time they fail to achieve the desired outcome. Then what is the necessity of asking a question about players’ compensation?” Najmul questioned furiously.
This wasn’t the first time the BCB finance chairman had made controversial remarks. Earlier, he claimed the former Bangladeshi skipper Tamim Iqbal was an Indian agent.
CWAB Against Najmul’s Remarks
Before taking action against the BCB finance chairman’s comments, Mohammad Mithun expressed his views about the controversial matter:
“See! We have been constantly discussing several issues, but haven’t acquired any solutions. We demanded an apology from him and expected him to say sorry, but he became more furious. He shouldn’t have made such remarks,” Mithun added.
Furthermore, the CWAB clarified that BCB was informed in advance that if Najmul sought a public apology, his role as the board’s director would continue, and players would be ready to return to cricket.
It remains unclear if Bangladeshi players will return to play the remaining fixtures of the BPL 2025-26 or not.