Mushfiqur Rahim led a spirited Bangladesh fightback as England struggled to kill off the hosts' first innings on day three of the first Test.

The wicketkeeper hit a counter-attacking 66 not out as part of a 99-run stand with Naeem Islam (38no) as the Tigers moved to 282 for seven mid-way through the afternoon session.

That left them 118 short of the follow-on target, an impressive effort after losing dangerman Tamim Iqbal early in the morning.

Tamim added just five to his overnight score of 81 before losing his off-stump to a beauty from Tim Bresnan.

That was enough to give him the highest Bangladeshi score against England, beating Aftab Ahmed's mark of 82. Mushfiqur wafted lazily at his first delivery but was soon looking assured at the crease and began to find the gaps in the England field.

Nightwatchman Shahadat Hossain was almost erroneously given out by umpire Rod Tucker before the decision was quickly overturned, though he did not take advantage. Instead he nicked to slip to give debutant Steven Finn a first Test wicket.

The 20-year-old, much improved from his tense opening spell on Saturday, probed away for a second and was twice unlucky to see full deliveries squeezed past leg stump.

Naeem Islam joined Mushfiqur in the middle and set about playing a more reserved foil to his buccaneering partner.

By now Mushfiqur was using his feet well against Graeme Swann and driving confidently into the off-side from the seamers. By the time he raised his bat for a well-earned fifth Test fifty, forty of his runs had come in boundaries.

The eighth-wicket pair re-established themselves after the lunch break and only looked troubled when Finn returned to the attack.