Three days into the Bangladesh cricketers went on boycotting all cricketing activities since Monday, the played forward a list of demands to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
At a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday (Oct 23), they unveiled their 13-point demands hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a discussion with BCB President Nazmul Hasan and Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) President Naimur Rahman Durjoy at Ganabhaban over the ongoing crisis.
Supreme court lawyer Mustafizur Rahman, who claimed to the spokesperson of the players, read out the 13-point demand of the cricketers.
Prior to the media call, Rahman said they sent a letter containing details of their demands to the board.
Several past and present cricketers, including likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim l, were seen present at the briefing.
Earlier the players started the protest with a total of 11-point demand, which now they increased to 13. Demands were related to the payment structure, and practice facilities in local tournaments among others.
THE 13-POINT DEMAND
Below is the official list of demands prepared by the cricketers, including the two additions added to the previous 11 -
1. The present committee of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) will have to resign immediately. Going forward, a professional cricketers' association, whether under the name of CWAB or otherwise, will have to be established. This association will be independent and autonomous of the BCB, having a written constitution and an executive committee elected annually by professional cricketers meeting defined eligibility criteria. The elected executive committee shall not include any person who is holding any office in the BCB. This association will represent the interest of the professional cricketers of Bangladesh as distinct from the other stakeholders of cricket in Bangladesh, such as the administrators, the club and franchisee owners and sponsors. The cricketers believe that their demand for an independent and autonomous professional cricketers association is crucial in the continuing development of the sport in Bangladesh, and is similar with the administration of cricket in other Test-playing countries: such as England, where the Professional Cricketer's Association (PCA) was established in 1967, and Australia, where Australian Cricketer's Association (ACA) was incorporated in 1991.
2. The Dhaka cricket leagues, including the Dhaka Premier League, will have to be organized as it was before introduction of the draft system and remuneration caps. There should be freedom of choice for the players in entering into contracts with clubs and the market should be allowed to determine their remuneration.
3. From next season, the Bangladesh Premier League will have to be organized as it was before, with reintroduction of the franchisee system. Players should have the freedom of choosing the category in which they are placed for auctions, or otherwise negotiate contracts with franchises freely. Discrimination in remuneration between foreign and Bangladeshi cricketers will have to be removed.
4. The match fee for First Class Cricket will have to be increased to Tk1,00,000/- (Tk1 lakh only) per match. Players' salary will have to be increased. Coaches and physios will have to be provided all year round. Arrangements for year round practice will have to be made at each divisional headquarter.
5. The daily allowance of Tk1,500/- provided to cricketers during domestic matches is meager and inadequate. This has to be increased. Where available, air travel to and between venues has to be provided. Improved hotel accommodations will have to be arranged.
6. The number and salary of cricketers contracted with the BCB will have to be increased.
7. The salary of local staffs, including coaches and groundsmen, will have to be increased.
8. The number of List A matches and tournaments will have to be increased, and at least one other annual T20 tournament has to be introduced domestically.
9. A domestic calendar has to be introduced, and more importantly maintained, so that players can know in advance and plan accordingly in their personal and family lives.
10. Players' dues, including dues from the BPL, have to be settled timely.
11. The restriction on Bangladeshi cricketers playing more than two franchisee leagues globally will have to be removed. Schedule and national commitments permitting, a player should be allowed to play as many franchisee leagues as he may receive offers for.
12. Going forward, there should be transparency and accountability of income and expenditure in Bangladeshi cricket in the interest of all its stakeholders. Arrangements will have to be made where professional cricketers are given a fair share of the revenue generated by BCB through commercial exploitation of cricket and its associated interests, which, after all, is made possible through the toil and performance of the professional cricketers in the first place. A cricketer's welfare, provident and compensation fund and insurance scheme has to be established and administered, which will ensure welfare of cricketers who have fallen on hard times, provide pensions to retired cricketers and compensation to injured cricketers.
13. To the extent practical and commercially feasible, similar provisions as above will have to be made for female cricketers, with the ultimate objective of attaining gender parity as early as possible.
