Desk Report:
There seems to be no end to the drama and controversy surrounding the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections. Tamim Iqbal and Aminul Islam Bulbul were once in the running to become BCB president, but now they don’t have that opportunity. Because Tamim withdrew from the BCB elections a few days ago.
Not only Tamim, there have also been cases of withdrawal of names from BCB elections from various districts. Lutfur Rahman Badal, Hasibul Alam, Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan have withdrawn. Meanwhile, the BCB elections are going to be held tomorrow. The issue of Tamim and many others withdrawing themselves before the elections came to Bulbul today. The BCB president told reporters, ‘Those who are not coming here or have boycotted are their personal matters. I am going to hold elections under the Election Commission as per the constitution. I will not say anything beyond that.’
Even though Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan assured of a fair election, there is bias – Tamim had alleged this on September 21. Today, journalists asked Bulbul about the interference of the sports advisor in the BCB elections. In response to this question, the BCB president said, ‘I don’t remember exactly when I said that the sports advisor requested me or the sports advisor cooperated. What else was the time frame within which I was working! Here I want to thank him for another reason. He is a minister. I know he went to Rajshahi. He tried not only to make fair elections, but also to create a good board. I didn’t feel any influence here.’
Allegations of fixing are heard frequently in Bangladesh’s domestic cricket. A few days ago, while talking about this fixing in the country’s cricket, Tamim demanded an end to fixing in the BCB elections. Meanwhile, former BCB president Faruk Ahmed, board director Nazmul Abedin Fahim and Abdur Razzak, who is on the selection panel, also submitted their nomination forms on September 26. While Bangladesh is busy playing one tournament after another in field cricket. A few days ago, the Bangladesh team played the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates. This time, the cricketers are busy with the Afghanistan series in the desert. And Nigar Sultana Jyotira is busy playing the ongoing Women’s ODI World Cup in India-Sri Lanka.
When it comes to the topic of Farooq-Tamim, Bulbul mentioned the busy schedule of Bangladesh cricket. Bulbul told reporters, “This is a process. I was not part of this journey. At the same time, there were some dual roles here. The Bangladesh national team went to play the Asia Cup. It is playing a series against Afghanistan. The women’s team went to play the World Cup. I was busy with the work that other BCB organizers had.”
Bulbul became the BCB president on May 30 this year after being nominated by the National Sports Council (NSC). He said that he does not care who voted for him or not in the elections to be held tomorrow. Bulbul told reporters today, “I think I should continue for Bangladesh cricket. “If anyone, whether they are voting for me or not, thinks I am not worthy, I will leave at any time. But at this time, my goal is Bangladesh cricket.”
