The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is exploring the possibility of introducing a Women’s Bangladesh Premier League (WBPL) as part of its efforts to promote and develop women’s cricket in the country.

This initiative aims to build on the growing global popularity of women’s cricket and offer Bangladeshi players more competitive opportunities.

The potential franchise tournament is tentatively scheduled for eight days, featuring three to four teams, and is planned to take place immediately after the ongoing men’s BPL to avoid date clash with the Dhaka Premier League, which is set to start on February 20.

According to a senior BCB official, discussions are in the preliminary stages, and the board is evaluating the feasibility of launching the tournament.

A senior BCB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned that discussions are in the preliminary stages, with a decision expected soon.

“We discussed the possibilities about it. In one or two days, we will confirm which way we are going with this,” said the source.

“We are thinking of three or four teams to start with and we are eyeing to hold tournament within eight days since we have the Dhaka league after that,” he said.

”Women’s national team has international assignments too. Like if we don’t qualify directly to the ODI world cup, we have to play the qualifier tournament. So we don’t have much time but this window,’’ he added.

“This initiative could be a game-changer for women’s cricket in Bangladesh,” another BCB source stated.

“It will not only inspire the younger generation but also provide much-needed exposure and opportunities for our players to compete at a higher level.”

Current and former cricketers have welcomed the idea, expressing optimism about the impact such a league could have on women’s cricket in Bangladesh.

Rumana Ahmed, a senior member of the national team, said that she is hopeful to have such an opportunity sooner than later. 

“A Women’s BPL would be a fantastic opportunity for players to gain exposure and improve their skills. We have been hearing about this for a while and have been waiting for a while. It will be great for us and the women cricket in general,” she said.

‘’Basically we need competition is in this format. We don’t play much at all and that shows in our performances. That’s why when we play T20 cricket with the bigger nations, we can see the difference,” she said.

“So if we have a BPL-like tournament, we will know where we are, where we need to go. So I am sure it will do so much good to our game,’’ she concluded.

Women’s franchise cricket is gaining significant attraction globally, with franchise leagues already established in countries like Australia, India, and England.