When BCB releases the central contract list for 2025, Shakib Al Hasan is ignored and Mahmudullah chooses not to participate.

The renowned all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was unexpectedly left off of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) central contract list for 2025. Mahmudullah, another all-round player, chose to not be included in the list that was revealed on Monday, March 10.

The players who missed out on a contract despite having one last year include Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Naeem Hasan, and Nurul Hasan, with the exception of Shakib Al Hasan, who made his final appearance for his country in October against India.

After February 2025, Mahmudullah, a member of Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy team, asked the BCB not to include him on the central contract list. However, the BCB retained the seasoned campaigner on the list for a period of two months. Speedster Taskin Ahmed is the only player to receive a Grade A+ contract out of the five categories into which the BCB central contracts have been divided.

Remarkably, Najimul Hossain Shanto, the captain, received an A grade. Shanto is accompanied in the Grade A category by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das, and Mushfiqur Rahim, who just declared his retirement from ODIs following the Champions Trophy.

Despite having a strong start to his international career, Nahid Rana was only able to secure a Grade B contract. For the first time since 2021 and 2022, respectively, top-order batsmen Soumya Sarkar and Shadman Islam were added to the BCB central contract list. They’re assigned to Grade C. The only two players to receive a Grade D contract are Khaled Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed.

This time around, up to 22 players have contracts. Ten lakh taka will be paid to the Grade A+ employee. In the meantime, Grade A will receive 8 lakhs, while Grades B and C will receive 6 and 4, respectively. Players in grade D will be paid two lakh taka.

Bangladesh lost matches against India and New Zealand, while the last match against Pakistan was called off due to weather, making their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign a complete bust. Next month, the Tigers will play again when they host Zimbabwe for a two-match Test series that begins on April 20.

2025 Central contracts for Bangladesh

Taskin Ahmed received an A+.
Grade A: Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Najmul Hossain Shanto
Grade B: Mustafizur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Hasan Mahmud, Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, Mahmudullah, and Nahid Rana
Grade C: Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, Shadman Islam, and Shoriful Islam
Khaled Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed received a D.