A major standoff between Bangladesh’s top cricketers and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) continues despite controversial board director M. Najmul Islam indicating his willingness to apologize for remarks that triggered a nationwide boycott of domestic cricket. Players, however, remain dissatisfied, insisting that any apology must be public and accompanied by concrete action against the official.
The controversy erupted after Najmul made a series of comments that players described as disparaging and insulting. He recently labelled former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” for suggesting dialogue between the two cricket boards amid tensions surrounding the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. Najmul further escalated the row by stating that the BCB owed no compensation to players even if they missed the T20 World Cup, citing the team’s failure to win major global trophies.
The remarks led to an immediate backlash within the cricketing community, with scheduled matches in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Dhaka Premier League (DPL) on Thursday being boycotted by players. Senior figures, including Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president Mohammed Mithun and all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, publicly condemned Najmul’s statements, calling them “shameful” and demanding his removal as a BCB director.
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In response, the BCB removed Najmul from the chairmanship of its Finance Committee and issued him a show-cause notice. However, CWAB and players have made it clear that this step is insufficient. They are seeking his removal from the board altogether and a public apology for remarks made in the media, rather than a closed-door reconciliation.
According to reports, BCB president Aminul Islam suggested that Najmul could apologize privately, a proposal that players rejected. CWAB has stated that cricketers are prepared to resume participation in the BPL from Friday only if Najmul issues a public apology and the process to remove him as director formally begins.
With two BPL matches scheduled for Friday, uncertainty continues to loom over the tournament. While the boycott has been temporarily eased in anticipation of a resolution, players remain cautious, placing the responsibility firmly on the BCB to restore trust and prevent further disruption to Bangladesh’s domestic cricket season.
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