Ashraful will serve as head coach of Barishal Division in the National Cricket League (NCL), across both formats — the T20 edition and the traditional four-day first-class format.
Ashraful has already made his mark in the coaching arena. Since last season, he has been a part of the Rangpur Riders’ coaching panel in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), working as their batting coach.
Under his guidance, Rangpur clinched the Global T20 League title and finished as runners-up this season, further highlighting his impact behind the scenes.
He has also been gaining coaching experience in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL). In the women’s DPL, Ashraful served as head coach of Gulshan Youth Club, while in the men’s edition, he held the same position at Dhanmondi Sporting Club.
Akram Khan, Chairman of the BCB Tournament Committee, has acknowledged reports in the media about several irregularities within the Barishal NCL team. To address these issues, he announced certain measures and issued a stern warning.
Reportedly, there was a serious conflict between Fazle Mahmud Rabbi and Sohag Gazi, which even led to one player allegedly threatening to kill the other.
“We’re aware of the problems within the Barishal team. Mohammad Ashraful has been appointed as the team's coach — he played for Barishal for two years. We’ve made it clear that if such irregularities happen again in the future, we’ll be forced to take strict action.”
According to Akram, Ashraful himself expressed interest in coaching in the NCL — a proposal that the board welcomed.
Alongside Ashraful, the BCB is also in talks with other former national players to integrate them into domestic coaching roles.
Names such as Aftab Ahmed, Al Shahriar Rokon, and Mohammad Selim are being considered to take part in developing the next generation of players through regional teams.
“We’re also in discussions with former players like Selim, Rokon, and Aftab,” Akram added. “If they’re available and interested, we plan to bring them into tournaments like the NCL. I believe our current players will benefit greatly from their experience.”
The 2024–25 domestic season will officially begin on September 14 with the NCL T20, followed by the four-day first-class tournament starting October 15 and running through November 30. Ashraful will lead Barishal as head coach in both formats.
