Bangladesh Cricket Board Unveils Honours Board, Celebrates 25 Years of Test Status

Bangladesh Cricket Board Commemorates Test Silver Jubilee with Honours Board

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) marked the 25th anniversary of achieving Test status with the unveiling of an Honours Board at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The special program, held on June 26, 2000, celebrated this significant milestone in Bangladesh cricket history.

The Honours Board at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. © BCB

Bangladesh played its first Test match against India on November 10, 2000.

In addition to the Honours Board, a commemorative cabinet was established to showcase the trophies won by Bangladeshi players.

The Test Honours Board at the "Home of Cricket" displays the names of all Bangladesh Test cricketers, from Akram Khan and Habibul Bashar Suman to Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, and Shakib Al Hasan, as well as current players Nayeem Hasan and Nahid Rana.

Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan inaugurated the Honours Board. The event served as a reunion for many players from Bangladesh's inaugural Test against India in 2000. However, five members of that squad – captain Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Akram Khan, Khaled Mashud Pilot, Manjurul Islam, and Al Shahriar Rokon – were unable to attend.

The reunion was part of a week-long celebration of the country’s 25 years as a Test nation.

Currently, various events are underway across the country to commemorate Bangladesh cricket’s achievement, including an Under-12 six-a-side tournament in divisional cities and a pacer and spinner hunt.

The BCB hosted a reunion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of achieving Test status, honoring the men who laid the groundwork for Bangladesh's red-ball journey. The ceremony was led by Aminul Islam Bulbul, the country's first Test centurion and current BCB president, and included members of the coaching staff from the historic game.

"The first reason is to celebrate 25 years of Test cricket, while the other reason is to give a wake-up call as cricket seemed to have been in hibernation mode in many places of the country," said Bulbul.

Habibul Bashar recalled the excitement of his last-minute call-up. "I wasn't supposed to play. Aminul bhai called Shovon bhai to pass the message - we didn't have phones then. I was just happy to tell myself that I'm going to be a Test cricketer," he said.