For years she carried Bangladesh on her shoulders with bat and ball. Now, Salma Khatun has broken another barrier — stepping into history as the first woman to join the national women’s selection panel.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the move on Saturday, calling it a “revolutionary decision.”

Salma, who captained Bangladesh from 2008 to 2015 and played 46 ODIs and 95 T20Is, will now sit alongside chief selector Sazzad Ahmed and Sojol Chowdhury, who works mainly with the age-group squads.

“She was once ranked the world’s best bowler and top all-rounder. Having her in the panel will not only strengthen our selection process but also inspire the next generation of cricketers,” said BCB media committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman Mithu.

Salma’s appointment is being seen as long overdue recognition for a player who was central to Bangladesh’s early success on the world stage. She remains one of the most respected figures in the country’s women’s game, and her new role ensures that players’ voices will be represented in a way they weren’t before.

The BCB also moved to strengthen the men’s set-up, bringing in former pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto to the three-member national selection panel. He replaces Hannan Sarkar, who stepped down to focus on coaching. Shanto will now work alongside chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and former left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.

“It was a natural choice,” Iftekhar said. “Shanto’s experience at the top level makes him the right man for the job.”

With these changes, the BCB says it is trying to blend experience, fresh thinking and representation in the selection process — a small shake-up that could mean a lot for Bangladesh cricket.