Habibul Bashar Appointed BCB Chief Selector

In a major reshuffle of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) personnel, Habibul Bashar Sumon has been appointed as the new chief selector, with Naeem Islam and Nadif Chowdhury joining as assistant selectors. The announcement was made on Monday, 23 March 2026, via an official BCB press release, confirming the composition of the new selection panel alongside Hasibul Hossain Shanto, who continues from the previous panel.

Profile of the Chief Selector

Habibul Bashar, aged 53, brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as a selector for both the national men’s team and the women’s team. A celebrated cricketer in his own right, Bashar was renowned as one of Bangladesh’s finest batsmen. Notably, he became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to score 3,000 Test runs, cementing his legacy as a stalwart of the game.

BCB highlighted his strategic acumen and familiarity with domestic and international cricket, positioning him well to lead the selection process through the next major tournaments.

Assistant Selectors

Joining Bashar are two experienced former cricketers:

• Naeem Islam: A prolific all-format batsman with over 20,000 runs in his nearly two-decade-long career. Naeem holds the record for the highest number of first-class centuries by a Bangladeshi player, with 34 centuries. His deep experience in domestic cricket is expected to strengthen talent identification and selection strategies.
• Nadif Chowdhury: A former international T20 player for Bangladesh, Nadif has significant experience in nurturing young talent. Following his retirement, he served as an age-group selector, helping identify emerging cricketers and supporting youth development programmes.

Continuing from the previous panel is Hasibul Hossain Shanto, a former pace bowler who has been part of the BCB selection team since September 2025, under the leadership of Gazi Ashraf Hossain.

Mandate and Responsibilities

The new selection panel’s tenure will extend until the ICC One Day World Cup in 2027, including the critical task of assembling the squad for the prestigious tournament in Africa. Their responsibilities encompass senior team selection, talent scouting, and performance monitoring across domestic and international matches, ensuring Bangladesh fields competitive sides across formats.

Key Details of the Selection Panel

Outlook

With this experienced panel, BCB aims to balance veteran leadership and youth insight, ensuring both immediate performance goals and long-term development of Bangladesh cricket. Analysts expect the panel to focus on strengthening the national team for ICC events while maintaining a robust domestic scouting system to nurture the next generation of players.

This announcement marks a significant step in Bangladesh cricket’s strategic planning, setting the stage for a competitive run through the 2027 ICC One Day World Cup and beyond.

Source: Bangladesh Cricket Board, 23 March 2026