Bangladesh’s 91 first-class cricketers received their respective salary till April while some of the 96 non-contracted cricketers are yet to get their one-time monetary assistance provided by Bangladesh Cricket Board due to lock down, reports Cricfrenzy.
First-class cricketers expressed their satisfaction as they did not had to wait for long time unlike the past when they were paid after five six months at a time due to the delayed approval of the board after the list was submitted to them by the selection panel.
‘’We have received our three month’s salary and to get the payment at this point is quite relieving because of the current situation. Earlier there are instances when we received six month’s salary at one go but we are grateful it was not the case this time round considering everyone is going through tough times at the moment,’’ said a seasoned first-class cricketer.
BCB Tournament Committee officials admitted that they had to wait for the board approval to disburse the money but that was not the case this time round as it was approved in the January board meeting.
‘’It’s true that the first-class cricketers had to wait earlier as we cannot disburse money until the list of the first-class cricketers are approved by the board,’’ said an official on Thursday.
‘’It always goes on a monthly basis. Just the process takes some time. Like, salary is active from 1 January to 31 December. The moment we get the approval we disburse the salary along with the arrear,’’ he said.
‘’This time it was not the case as the list was approved by the board in January. Now we have given them [first-class cricketers] salary till March and they will receive salary every months in the following months,’’ he said.
In 2012 for the first time, the first-class cricketers were brought under the agreement of BCB. Since then, the first-class cricketers of Bangladesh have been getting salary from BCB on a monthly basis. At that time, the salaries of cricketers in the ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ grades were 25 thousand, 20 thousand and 15 thousand respectively.
Eight years have passed. A lot of changes were held in Bangladesh. But the salaries of first-class cricketers in Bangladesh have increased only once. That’s also only 15 percent. This was implemented by BCB two years ago. After raising the salary of the cricketers in the ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ grade, the salary is standing at 28 thousand 750, 23 thousand and 17 thousand 250 respectively.
In terms of performance and fitness, the number of cricketers in the contract list increases and decreases. Last year, 79 first-class cricketers were in the agreement. This time, 12 players have been increased. Now the contracted cricketers are 91. All those who have passed the last National Cricket League (NCL) fitness test are in the agreement. However, Shahadat Hossain Rajib due to discipline and Mohammad Sharif who has not played any matches in the last season are not on the list.
On October 21 last year, the cricketers of the country called cricketing strike. The cricketers withdrew their strike after negotiations between the two sides where BCB agreed their majority of the demand. In their 13 demand, one of the demands they raised was to raise the salaries of first-class cricketers. Cricketers demanded a pay raise of at least 50 percent.
After 15 days of the strike, BCB raised the match fee and other allowance at a significant rate. In the first level of the National Cricket League, the match fee raises from 35 to 60 thousand, and in the second level, 25 to 50 thousand BDT. BCB increased the travel allowance, daily allowance and accommodation also.
