Mahbub Anam Appointed New BPL Governing Council Chairman as BCB Eyes Major Overhaul

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made a significant leadership change in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Governing Council, appointing former BCB director Mahbub Anam as its new chairman. He replaces Faruk Ahmed, as part of the board’s broader plan to revamp the country's only franchise-based T20 tournament.

The decision was finalized during a BCB board meeting held on Thursday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Nazmul Abedin will continue as Member Secretary, while Fahim Sinha remains on the council as a member.

"Mahbub bhai has been officially named the new BPL Governing Council chairman," a BCB official confirmed to Cricbuzz.

The current three-year BPL cycle ends after the upcoming 2024–25 season. The newly restructured council is expected to begin its duties immediately, focusing on the preparations for the next edition.

The BPL has recently come under heavy criticism following issues in the previous season, including delayed player payments and allegations of match-fixing. A committee was formed to investigate the matters, but its findings have yet to be made public.

In response, BCB is now determined to bring structural and strategic reform to the BPL.

“We had a short follow-up meeting after the board session,” a BCB official said. “Right now, everyone is engaged with preparations for the celebration of 25 years of Bangladesh’s Test status, but we’ve started early discussions on what model we want for the BPL moving forward.”

He added,

“Enhancing the BPL’s brand value is our biggest challenge. We plan to engage professional consultants to help us restructure. A four-to-five-year cycle is under consideration. Today was the beginning — we’ll outline a detailed roadmap next week.”

Due to the upcoming national elections, there is some uncertainty about scheduling the tournament on its usual December window. However, the board remains optimistic.

“It’s a big challenge, yes, but if we can present an effective business model — like other international franchise leagues do — top companies will be interested,” the official explained.

A more streamlined version of the tournament, potentially with five teams instead of seven, is also on the table if challenges persist.

“One way or another, we’re committed to hosting a T20 event,” he affirmed.

In addition to BPL matters, the board meeting also discussed media rights sales and plans to celebrate 25 years of Bangladesh’s Test status, marking a significant milestone in the country’s cricketing journey.