Salma Khatun becomes Bangladesh's first woman selector

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Saturday that former national team captain Salma Khatun Bangladesh cricketer has been added to the women’s selection panel. This marks a historic step, as Salma Khatun becomes the first woman cricketer in Bangladesh to be appointed to the role. She will now work with Sazzad Ahmed, the chief of the women’s selection panel, and Sojol Chowdhury, who mainly focuses on age-group cricket.

Speaking about the decision, Iftekhar Rahman Mithu, chairman of BCB’s media committee, said, “We had a short meeting where we made four to five important decisions. One of them was appointing Salma Khatun Bangladesh as the first woman selector for the women’s national team. She will be working alongside Shipon, who serves as the chief selector.”

Salma Khatun Bangladeshi cricketer has an impressive record. She was named the ICC’s best bowler and top all-rounder in 2014-15 and captained the Salma Khatun Bangladesh women’s cricket team from 2008 to 2015. She is widely regarded as a key figure in the growth of women’s cricket in the country. Iftekhar added, “This is a revolutionary decision by our president. Having someone like Salma on board will give huge support to women’s cricket in Bangladesh.”

Along with Salma’s appointment, BCB also made a change in the men’s selection panel. Former pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto has joined as a selector, filling the position left vacant after Hannan Sarkar stepped down to focus on his coaching career. 

The three-member men’s selection panel is now headed by Gazi Ashraf Hossain, with Abdur Razzak and Shanto as members. Iftekhar explained that Shanto’s long experience with the Bangladesh team and his strong background made him the natural choice for the role. These appointments are seen as important steps for both men’s and women’s cricket in Bangladesh.