Bangladesh cricketers have ended their strike after BCB promised to fulfil most of the demands soon. However, they were on strike from Monday (October 21) and said they wouldn’t take part in any of the cricketing activities until their demands are fulfilled. The players will be back to action from Friday. Veteran players like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal, had announced the strike which had put in doubt for their tour to India which is scheduled to start in early November. However, it is sorted when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina intervened and summoned Mashrafe Mortaza to act as a mediator.
However, the BCB agreed to fulfil the 11-point demands of the cricketers but they didn’t commit on the other two that were added while addressing the media in the press conference on Wednesday (the BCB sharing a percentage of their revenue with them and also equal pay for women cricketers as well).
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“As Papon bhai (BCB chief Hassan) said, it was a fruitful discussion,” all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan said. “He and the rest of the directors assured us that our demands will be met as soon as possible. Based on their assurance, we will start playing the NCL and attend the training camp.”
“We told them that there should be [CWAB] elections swiftly. We want a representative from the current players, so that our problems can be discussed with the board regularly. It will be the best for the players. They have agreed, and the elections will be held when we are all available. We can tell you that we are happy when the demands are implemented, but discussions have been satisfying,” he added.
While speaking to the media, BCB chief Nazmul Hassan Papon also said, “We thank the players for coming today. They had a number of demands which I told you yesterday were mostly agreeable. Among their 11 demands, the first one (CWAB elections) doesn’t have anything to do with the BCB and the last demand (more than two NOCs per year to play franchise tournaments) will be taken case to case.”
“We have agreed with the rest of the demands, like the DPL transfers and BPL franchise model. We will also significantly improve their allowances in the domestic competitions, and it will be done in the next two or three days. Not in six months or a year. We will also improve infrastructural facilities everywhere, and no longer take it phase by phase. I also heard from many players, and I have asked them to send them their issues in writing in the future. I felt that it was a good discussion but I don’t think the players liked it, as I was angry at the start, but later it (the anger) went away,” he concluded.
