Desk Report:
A section of pro-BNP club organizers have taken the initiative to discuss three proposals with sports advisors to reduce the complications surrounding the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections.
Two candidates from Tamim Iqbal’s panel, who announced the withdrawal of their nomination papers yesterday, went to the BCB building this afternoon and made this proposal. They are Indira Road Sports Circle Councilor Rafiqul Islam Babu and BNP leader Mirza Abbas’s son Mirza Yasir Abbas.
Their proposals are to extend the term of the current board of directors for a few more days, form an ad hoc committee if necessary, and set a new schedule for the elections. Rafiqul Islam Babu said in the media, “Many small and big complications have arisen surrounding the elections. Schedule changes, cancellation of district and divisional councilors, removal of councilors of 15 clubs – all these events will harm cricket. We want this crisis to end and a fair election to be held.”
He claims that although the clubs are still alive, their councilors have been cancelled intentionally. In his words, ‘If someone says there is a club, they will play in the league but there will be no councilors – this cannot be accepted in any way. That is why a writ has been filed in the court regarding this.,
Although allegations of bias have been raised against the sports advisor regarding the BCB elections, Rafiqul now sees him as the solution, ‘He is now the guardian of not only cricket, but all sports in the country. We are looking for a solution to the problem from him.’
When asked whether Tamim Iqbal is in this proposal, Rafiqul said, ‘We are not excluding or including anyone. We are speaking on behalf of everyone. If everyone agrees in the interest of the country, a solution will come.’
There was no crowd of candidates at the BCB building throughout the day, but there was an additional police presence outside. There were rumors that someone might form a human chain of those who withdrew their nomination papers; although that did not happen later.
