In 2008, Fazle Mahmud gave up cricket and took up a job at a telecom company in Bangladesh, but could not stay away for long, eventually returning after finishing a post-graduate degree in marketing.

Known for his improved solidity and consistency, Mahmud was noticed after his half-centuries for Bangladesh A on their tour to Ireland in August 2018, fourteen years after he made his domestic first-class debut. Subsequently he made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in Mirpur two months later.

It was a reward for three productive seasons leading up to 2018; the highlight being the 708 runs in 16 innings at 47.20 for Prime Doleshwar in the 2017-18 Dhaka Premier League.

Mahmud impressed in his early years as a batting all-rounder, who bowled left-arm spin quite regularly. His early promise earned him a place in the BCB's High Performance squad in 2006, but couldn't build on his initiation.

Having put the hard yards in for a decade since returning, he's now seen as a "complete package" by Bangladesh selector and former captain Habibul Bashar.