Earlier, Bangladesh upheld their claim for the status  in international cricket when Tigers won their first major international trophy, the ICC Trophy,  beating Kenya in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. 

Bangladesh's path to being a Test playing country was a little smoother after their astonishing victory over former world champions  Pakistan in their maiden ICC World Cup in England in 1999.

But, to get the Test status for Bangladesh, it would require a lot more than just winning few matches as the country was  lacking proper cricketing infrastructures, required political diplomacy and an audacious vision from the BCB's then-president Saber Hossain Chowdhury for earning most desired Test status. 

Former ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya of India extended a good support to Bangladesh  to gain the awaited Test status.

The then BCB president Saber Hosssin Chowdhury and BCB general secretary Syed Ashraful Haque played a vital role in the Bangladesh's  most awaited and fate deciding ICC meeting in Lord's in June 2000 where Bangladesh was unanimously voted for the Test status.

Later, ICC chief Malcolm Gray, alongside two top BCB officials, Tigers captain Aminul Islam Bulbul,who was in England at that time to play for a English club, made a historic announcement of Bangladesh' s Test status at a press conference at Lord's on June 26, 2000.

Bangladesh applied first for Test status in 1996, but which had no impact at all, later, they applied again in 1997 after winning the ICC Trophy, but their appeal was denied due to inadequate support. 

Three Asian countries--India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka alongside West Indies and Zimbabwe supported Bangladesh candidature while Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa voted against Bangladesh in 1997.

Finally, Bangladesh unanimously granted Test status in 2000, but they had to wait for five years to win the first Test match in Chittagong against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Bangladesh played their maiden Test against India on November 10 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka in 2000.

Also read: Bangladesh set to face new Test foe