The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently announced its 2026 central contract list with two major demotions. Star players Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed were moved down contract grading in the new list. Grade demotions for both players raised several concerns among Bangladesh cricket fans; however, the decision seems to be irreversible according to reports.
Only A+ Player in BCB 2025 Contracts Also Demoted
Taskin Ahmed featured as the only BCB player in their A+ central contract category in 2025. The cricketer will no longer be under A+ grading after new contract listings showed he is now an A-grade cricketer. Taskin now features alongside the team’s cricket captains as this year’s only Grade A BCB cricketers.
How Much Do Players Earn Under the New Contracts?
Grade A cricketers will receive BD৳ 800,000 (₹5.94 lakh) per month under the new central contracts. B-grade cricketers will BD৳ 600,000 (₹4.45 lakh) every month for their on-field contribution, Grade C players will get BD৳ 400,000 (₹2.97 lakh) per month, while D-graders will get BD৳ 200,000 (₹1.48 lakh) monthly.
| Player | Grade | Monthly (BDT) | Monthly (USD) | Monthly (INR) |
| Najmul Hossain Shanto | A | BD৳ 800,000 | $6,545 | ₹5,94,515 |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | A | |||
| Litton Das | A | |||
| Taskin Ahmed | A | |||
| Mushfiqur Rahim | B | BD৳ 600,000 | $4,909 | ₹4,45,886 |
| Mominul Haque | B | |||
| Taijul Islam | B | |||
| Mustafizur Rahman | B | |||
| Towhid Hridoy | B | |||
| Shadman Islam | B | |||
| Tanzid Hasan | B | |||
| Rishad Hossain | B | |||
| Mahedi Hasan | B | |||
| Hasan Mahmud | B | |||
| Nahid Rana | B | |||
| Soumya Sarkar | C | BD৳ 400,000 | $3,272 | ₹2,97,257 |
| Jaker Ali | C | |||
| Shoriful Islam | C | |||
| Tanzim Hasan | C | |||
| Nasum Ahmed | C | |||
| Khaled Ahmed | C | |||
| Saif Hassan | D | BD৳ 200,000 | $1,636 | ₹1,48,628 |
| Parvez Hossain Emon | D | |||
| Tanvir Islam | D | |||
| Nayeem Hasan | D | |||
| Hasan Murad | D | |||
| Shamim Hossain | D | |||
| Nurul Hasan | D |
Mustafizur Rahman is in Grade B under the new BCB central contracts. Rahman’s IPL contract cancellation triggered a set of events that led to Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup 2026.
Distribution of Players by Contract Grade
The new BCB central contracts sees more players under Grade B than in any other category. Eleven (11) cricketers are under this category, and their combined wage bill will cost the BCB BD৳ 6,600,000 (IN₹48.9 lakh) per month.
| Grade | Number of Players | Percentage of Total | Monthly Salary per Player (INR) |
| A | 4 | 14.3% | BD৳ 800,000 (IN₹5.94 lakh) |
| B | 11 | 39.3% | BD৳ 600,000 (IN₹4.45 lakh) |
| C | 6 | 21.4% | BD৳ 400,000 (IN₹2.97 lakh) |
| D | 7 | 25.0% | BD৳ 200,000 (IN₹1.48 lakh) |
| Total | 28 | 100% | BD৳ 2,000,000 (IN₹14.84 lakh) |
Players with a Grade A central contract make up fewer than a fifth of the total list. These players receive more money individually than other cricketers, but usually need to perform several duties within one or multiple teams.
Total BCB Central Contract Wage Bill by Grade
The all-new BCB central contract will see Bangladesh’s governing body spend BD৳1,36,00,000 (IN₹1.06 crore) per month on players’ wages. Annual payments will see the country’s cricket governing body spend over BD৳ 16.3 crore (IN₹12.07 crore) on players.
| Grade | Players | Monthly Cost (INR) | Annual Cost (INR) |
| A | 4 | BD৳ 3,200,000 (IN₹23.6 lakh) | BD৳ 38,400,000 (IN₹2.83 crore) |
| B | 11 | BD৳ 6,600,000 (IN₹48.9 lakh) | BD৳ 79,200,000 (IN₹5.87 crore) |
| C | 6 | BD৳ 2,400,000 (IN₹17.8 lakh) | BD৳ 28,800,000 (IN₹2.13 crore) |
| D | 7 | BD৳ 1,400,000 (IN₹10.3 lakh) | BD৳ 16,800,000 (IN₹1.24 crore) |
| Total | 28 | BD৳ 13,600,000 (IN₹1.06 crore) | BD৳ 163,200,000 (IN₹12.07 crore) |
The current central contracts accommodate 28 players who will represent Bangladesh across formats in this calendar year.
How Much Will the BCB Players Receive Annually Under New Central Contracts?
The highest-graded players (Grade A) will receive $78,500 annually (IN₹71 lakh) under the new BCB central contracts. Players under Grade B will get $58,900 per year (IN₹53 lakh) for their on-field contribution to Bangladesh cricket at national level.
Grade C players will get $39,200 every year (IN₹35 lakh) under the new central contract while D-grade players will receive $19,600 per annum (IN₹17.8 lakh).
Promotions and Demotions in New BCB Central Contracts
Notable promotions and demotions in the current contract compared to the previous list are below:
| Player | 2025 Grade | 2026 Grade | Movement |
| Taskin Ahmed | A+ | A | Demoted (A+ removed) |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | A | B | Demoted |
| Shadman Islam | C | B | Promoted |
| Tanzid Hasan | C | B | Promoted |
| Rishad Hossain | C | B | Promoted |
| Mahedi Hasan | C | B | Promoted |
Bangladesh Cricket Leaders by Contract Grade
Bangladesh has three (3) captains with each player leading a format. All cricket captains for the Bangladesh national team are currently under the highest contract grade as seen below:
| Player | Role | Grade |
| Najmul Hossain Shanto | Test Captain | A |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | ODI Captain | A |
| Litton Das | T20I Captain | A |
