To spread cricket across the country, BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul has unveiled his ambitious “triple century” plan.
Since taking over as the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Aminul has been busy. On his first day, he held a long meeting with board directors. The next day, he visited the National Sports Council (NSC) at the invitation of Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan.
After the courtesy call, Aminul held another round of discussions with BCB officials in the afternoon. In between, he made a brief stop at the Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA), where he shared insights with the media on his “triple century” plan as BCB president.
In Saturday’s board meeting, Aminul presented his vision through a detailed presentation. He shared the same with the Sports Advisor, focusing heavily on decentralizing cricket operations in Bangladesh.
When he was elected unopposed last Friday, Aminul had already stated his goal to expand cricket’s reach nationwide. At the time, he said his mission wasn’t just about “Bangladesh cricket,” but rather about “cricket in Bangladesh.” That day, he only hinted at what was to come.
During his meeting with the Sports Advisor, Aminul expanded on the idea. Later at BSJA, he explained in detail how this “cricket in Bangladesh” vision would be executed.
“We have three goals… we are calling it a triple century: 100% trust, 100% program, and 100% reach. We want to reach 100% of Bangladesh, we’ll have our programs, and we’ll have trust.”
“To achieve this triple century, the Cricket Board has launched three programs. First, we’ll upgrade the spirit of cricket. Second, high performance for all — not just players but also board officials. The third goal is to connect cricket across the country.”
The need to reduce Dhaka’s dominance in cricket and establish regional cricket bodies has long been discussed — ever since Bangladesh gained Test status in 2000. Though a pilot project launched regional structures in Chattogram and Sylhet a few years ago, it failed to gain momentum due to various complications.
Aminul is well aware of the realities on the ground in Bangladesh. He understands the bureaucratic hurdles that could arise in the decentralization process. Still, the former captain is determined to push cricket nationwide through his new plan.
“The Cricket Board won’t just sit in Mirpur. Back when we got Test status, we talked about forming regional structures — but it hasn’t happened yet. Be it through bureaucracy or not… NSC is supporting us.”
“Soon, we’ll spread cricket across all regions like regional bodies. This was a promise we made to the ICC. Now, it’s our number one priority. Of course, the national team’s performance is also part of that.”
Currently, because everything is centralized in Dhaka, even selecting a squad for any division in the National Cricket League is done by national selectors. Aminul wants to change that — creating a structure where players rise from villages and upazilas all the way to the national team.
With his long-standing experience at the ICC in cricket development, Aminul, now 57, is looking to build a clear pipeline for talent. Regional organizations will also be evaluated and funded based on their contributions.
“This isn’t about decentralizing power — it’s about decentralizing cricket. The board won’t just hand out funds. Regional bodies will have to earn support based on performance, player numbers, infrastructure, and staff like coaches and umpires. That’s the funding model we’re designing.”
Back in 2012, former BCB President Nazmul Hassan promised to launch regional cricket bodies. Though attempts were made, the initiative stalled several times due to internal opposition from board members — some of whom are still in office.
So, the question remains: can Aminul really achieve this?
He believes he can — and is ready to take tough steps if necessary.
“This is an essential need. If difficult decisions must be made to fulfill it, I will make them. We’ll need everyone’s support. If obstacles arise, we’ll first reach people through cricket itself, then set up the regional bodies.”
“Our current goal is to execute the ‘Connect and Grow’ program. We’ll take cricket to the grassroots through our board directors. But we won’t follow a bureaucratic path. It’ll be a simple approach — bringing cricket directly to the people.”
