Nazmul Islam Reinstated by BCB Amid T20 World Cup Replacement Drama

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reinstated director M Nazmul Islam as chairman of its finance committee, marking a dramatic internal reversal days after Bangladesh was officially replaced by Scotland for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The decision follows a disciplinary review linked to Nazmul’s earlier controversial remarks and comes amid broader fallout from the country’s exit from the global tournament.

According to The Daily Star, the BCB disciplinary committee cleared Nazmul after reviewing his response to a show-cause notice, which he submitted on January 18, a day after the stipulated deadline. Disciplinary committee chairman Faiazur Rahman said the board acted after considering the committee’s observations, adding that Nazmul’s reply was deemed “positive and satisfactory,” though its contents were not disclosed publicly.

Nazmul Islam had previously been removed from the finance committee chairmanship following backlash over his remarks referring to former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal as an “India agent,” comments that drew sharp criticism within the cricketing community. His reinstatement signals a shift in the board’s stance at a time when the BCB is seeking internal stability after weeks of uncertainty over its World Cup participation.

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The development comes shortly after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Bangladesh’s replacement by Scotland in the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7. The ICC took the decision after Bangladesh refused to travel to India for its scheduled matches, citing security concerns, and declined to accept the published tournament schedule.

BCB Media Committee chairman Amzad Hussain has since confirmed that the board will not challenge the ICC’s decision or seek arbitration. Speaking after a board meeting in Dhaka, Hussain said Bangladesh had formally accepted the verdict and clarified that no dispute resolution process was being pursued.

Hussain added that the decision not to travel to India was taken at the government level following a cabinet meeting and was subsequently communicated to the ICC. After being given a 24-hour deadline to confirm participation, the BCB informed the global body that it was not possible to comply with the fixture, ultimately sealing Bangladesh’s exit from the tournament.

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