The Asian Test Championship is approaching and BCB has reduced their number of players to sixteen whom they have selected to be contracted, for this vital tournament of the longer version. Today in a press briefing held in BCB presided by Mainul Haq, the Chairman of the Selection Committee- it was announced that 16 players are brought into consideration for Asian Test Championship, where Bangladesh is going to take on all three opponents at overseas grounds. There are two changes in the squad so far- Mohammed Rafique has been excluded and Bikash and Anwar Hossain are welcomed. It is for the first time the squad has taken account of two wicket-keepers. The selection committee kept the idea of playing test cricket, therefore, opted for those who are well fit for the games longer version. It is worth mentioning that only one left arm off-spinner is measured and he is Enamul Hoque. As the question did not fail to arise in journalists' mind that who will assist or replace him in case of Enamul's injury- the Chairman of The Selection Committee answered that Naimur Rahman could bowl off spin at right hand and Mohammed Ashraful is reputed as a leg-spinner too. The director firmly divulged Bangladesh's candid plan to play for a draw and the team has been rigged accordingly. We can assume that specialist batsmen are going to be prevalent in the side. 
Mohammed Rafique's exclusion was the crux of the matter of debate that went on between the members of the committee and the journalists present there. Shahriar Hossain Biddyut was cast out of the squad because he was irregular in the practice sessions. 
Side-by-side the Bangladesh-A team has also trimmed down to twenty-nine members. After a three-week practice, A-team made a tentative list of those 29 players who will be practicing under Dipu Roy Chowdhury. Surprised to see Minhajul's name was not there, the media men asked why the old hand had been turned down. Mr. Mainul Haq told that Minhaj left for USA without board's consent, therefore, is dropped off. 

The Bangladesh National Team selected to be contracted by BCB are followed:-

1. Naimur Rahman 
2. Javed Omar Belim
3. Mehrab Hossain
4. Md. Ashraful
5. Al-Sahariar
6. Aminul Islam
7. Habibul Bashar
8. Akram Khan
9. Khaled Masud
10. Md. Anwar Hossain
11. Enamul Hoque
12. Hasibul Hossain
13. Bikash Ranjan Das
14. Manjurul Islam
15. Mohammed Sharif
16. Mushfiqur Rahman 

BANGLADESH "A" TEAM POOL

SL. NAME

1. Ehsanul Haque
2. Shahriar Hossain
3. Khandkar Md.Rajin Saleh Alam
4. Nasirul Alam
5. Md. Rafique
6. Shabbir Khan
7. Fahim Muntasir
8. Azam Iqbal
9. Hannan Sarkar
10. Rafiqul Islam Khan
11. Sanwar Hossain
12. Hassanuzzaman
13. Sajjad Hossain
14. Tushar Imran
15. Mazharul Haq Chowdhury
16. Nahidul Haque
17. Khaled Mahmud
18. Niamur Rashid
19. Mosaddeq Hossain
20. Md. Mustadir
21. Ahsanullah Hasan
22. Md. Golam Murtaza
23. Sajjad Kadir
24. Anwar Hossain
25. Tareq Aziz Khan
26. Taposh Kumar Baishya
27. Md. Alamgir
28. Ahmed Kamal
29. Ashfaque Ali Rahat

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