Bangladesh Premier League set to resume on Friday after BCB removes Najmul Islam

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 is set to resume on Friday after late-night discussions between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh. The competition faced disruption when players boycotted matches over comments made by Najmul Islam.

The deadlock was resolved late on Thursday after a meeting between the BCB and the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh. Following the talks, players confirmed they would return on Friday after Najmul lost his position as chairman of the board’s finance committee and publicly apologized for his remarks.

Najmul Islam’s Remarks Trigger Player Boycott

The trouble began after Najmul made several strong comments earlier in the week. He called former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” for suggesting talks between the two cricket boards. Najmul also claimed the BCB had no obligation to compensate players if they missed the T20 World Cup.

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Tamim had spoken about resolving the T20 World Cup venue issue that started after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026 on BCCI instructions.

These remarks angered the players, who announced a complete boycott of cricket and demanded Najmul’s removal. The protest forced the postponement of the BPL match between Noakhali Express and Chattogram Royals at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Bangladesh Premier League Set to Resume on Friday

During a press briefing at the BCB headquarters, Mohammad Mithun said that the players agreed to return on Friday after considering the larger good of the sport. He added that the board had promised to engage with Nazmul Islam and address the players’ demands at the earliest.

"Keeping the greater interest of cricket in mind, we will resume playing tomorrow [on Friday]. They [the BCB] have assured us that they will reach out to him [BCB director M Nazmul Islam] and fulfill our demands as early as possible," Mithun said.

The BCB on Thursday removed Najmul from his role as finance committee chairman with immediate effect. Notably, the decision was taken to ensure cricket continues without disruption. The BCB president will serve as the committee’s interim chairman.

We Welcome the Decision to Remove Mr. Najmul Islam - Mohammad Mithun

In a statement, the board said that “the interests of the cricketers remain its highest priority” and asked them to maintain professionalism during a difficult phase. Najmul issued a public apology, which the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh agreed to accept.

CWAB president Mohammad Mithun welcomed Najmul’s removal from the Finance Committee and said the players were prepared to return to action and continue the tournament.

“We welcome the decision to remove Mr. Najmul Islam from the Finance Committee,” Mithun said. “Since he has publicly apologised and the formal process regarding his directorship is ongoing, we are ready to return to the field and resume playing.”

The BPL will restart on a revised schedule. Notably, the agreement ended an intense 24-hour period that had halted all cricket activity in the country.

Also read: BCB removes Najmul Islam as Finance Committee Chairman amid threats of Bangladesh cricket boycott