Bangladesh Cricket Board officially kick-started the process for the board elections by invited nomination of councillors from all categories on Monday (May 4).
Former national captain Tamim Iqbal is currently serving as the interim head of the board after the National Sports Council dissolved the Aminul Islam-led body on charges of misuse of power and they are entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the next BCB election within 30 days.
Following the third meeting of the BCB Ad-hoc Committee at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Monday, BCB announced that it had initiated the election process by inviting councillor-ship as well as approving the formation of a three-member Election Commission for conducting the next BCB Election.
"The Board has decided to initiate the process for the next BCB Election. As a first step, a notice will shortly be issued inviting the nomination of Councillors from all categories in accordance with Article 12.7 of the BCB Constitution," BCB said in a statement on Monday.
"The Board has approved the formation of a three-member Election Commission for conducting the next BCB Election. The Election Commission will comprise one representative from either the Ministry of Youth & Sports or the National Sports Council (NSC), and two members nominated by the BCB," it said.
BCB also informed that the board had decided to dissolve ad-hoc committees of Regional Cricket Associations.
"The Board has decided to dissolve, with immediate effect, the previously constituted Ad-hoc Committees of the Regional Cricket Associations of Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal," it added.
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Following the BCB ad-hoc committee meeting, Tamim came down to the main ground to present an update on ongoing redevelopment work at the stadium, particularly a planned lounge facility for national cricketers.
"The main reason behind all this work is that we are building a proper lounge for national cricketers. Around 170 to 180 cricketers who have represented Bangladesh will get this facility," he said.
"The divider in the middle of the seating area will be removed. These seats will be renovated and turned into a balcony-style structure like you see in major stadiums around the world, where people sit, have tea and coffee, and enjoy the view," he said adding that the facility will include a lounge with a capacity of around 250 to 300 people, dedicated exclusively to national cricketers.
"These grills will be removed so there is no obstruction to the view. This entire block will be dedicated to national cricketers. They don't currently have a proper space like this, so we are creating one for them," he said.
"We have to be very careful about whom we honour. If a name is given and someone feels left out, it can create issues," he said.
"We are considering different formats-home players at home venues, national players at the national stadium, and also recognising those who have contributed significantly to Bangladesh cricket," he said.
"I believe Bangladesh cricketers deserve this recognition. It is not about averages or statistics. Even a player with a low average may have made a massive contribution in their time. Our responsibility is to respect that properly," he said.
The Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) will also have office space within the same setup. Access will be restricted through designated cards issued only to national cricketers.
Tamim, who introduced captains card earlier to recognise the contributions of former and current national captains, will contest the next election for the post of full-time president of the board.
