It was only a few days after the interim government took over. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmood will visit Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. People from various fields including journalists are standing around the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) office. Suddenly, a car whizzed by, with all the media cameras running behind it. Tamim Iqbal Khan got out of the car surprising everyone; One of the most successful opening batters in the country’s cricket history.
At that time it was said that Tamim is coming to accompany sports advisor Asif Mahmud? Everyone knows what happened next. Tamim showed Asif around the ‘Home of Cricket’. He held a meeting and gave various assurances to the officers and employees of various departments of BCB. Since then the question has emerged – is Tamim coming to BCB?
Despite not being in the team, the prospect got stronger when he was spotted at a meeting with BCB president Farooq Ahmed about the national team cricketers.
Tamim has not yet spoken to the media about coming or not coming to BCB. However, he has informed about his desire to come to BBC with his district Chittagong and Chittagong divisional sports organizers.
Talking to the cricket organizers of Chittagong, Tamim’s desire was learned from them. However, local organizers have different thoughts about this.
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Those who have been working as local organizers for a long time do not want Tamim to go to BCB as a representative of Chittagong Division or District Sports Association. According to them, then the real organizers will be deprived.
RisingBD.com spoke to at least three sports organizers in Chittagong; Some of whom were former directors of BCB, some have been working as local organizers for a long time.
Hafizur Rahman wants those who have been working as organizers for a long time to get a place in BBC.
“It would be logical to put someone on the board after vetting those who have been working for the development of cricket in the Chittagong division for a long time. Doing so would be just; Those who have given time for 20-30 years without any exchange, are working.’
According to Hafizur, an organizer should go to the board on merit, he should get what he deserves. If there are more senior and more skilled people, let them go to the BBC.
‘Those who are organizers in Chittagong, they have a lot of sorrow, they worked all their life but could not go. They have no power, no mechanism. The society, the country should give me what I deserve as a system. Then everything will be fine.’
Siraj Uddin Khan Alamgir. Who was the director of BCB for two terms. He was instrumental in organizing the first BPL. he was also the General Secretary of the Divisional Sports Association. Siraj Uddin also does not want Tamim to represent Chittagong in BCB instead of qualified organizers.
‘We have been working in Chittagong division, district for a long time. Organizing various tournaments, conducting age-based cricket, conducting school cricket, organizing various competitions, selecting players and sending them to Dhaka, setting them up in different leagues in Dhaka, those who have experience while doing these things; They should represent from the district or department.’
Shahabuddin Shamim; The last was Additional General Secretary of Chittagong District Sports Association. Like the previous two, he has the same tone, ‘those who have been working as organizers for a long time should go to the cricket board.’ rnrn
Shahabuddin Shamim said, “Tamim Iqbal is ‘okay’ (okay) in the player quota from the National Sports Council, but a good sports organizer, cricket organizer should be named in the organizer quota.”
But all three welcomed Tamim’s willingness to come on board. They want Tamim to be nominated as BCB representative from other two categories (captain and NSAC) instead of from district or division.
Siraj said, ‘Tamim must come – I sincerely want that. But from the other categories where there is free space, superstars like Tamim who need to be on board should come. Deprives (not) ‘…’, excluding any actual organizer.
According to Shamim, if a player like Tamim wants to come to the cricket board then it is definitely a positive aspect. They have the opportunity to contribute to the board. Bangladesh cricket will benefit if they can share this experience. But I say again, it should not happen without excluding the real organizers.’
Hafeez says, ‘Sports organizers create players. Sports organizers may or may not be former players. This is a matter of interest. It is not mandatory to be a player. Tamim is an international cricketer, that’s his plus point. If he wants to come as a sports organizer, it is good for sports. But it must be logical (according to its merits).’
There are two directors on the current board from Chittagong division. While former cricketer Akram Khan is active, another director AJM Nasir is on the run since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Akram Khan’s comments were asked whether the demands of the local organizers of Chittagong were reasonable or not. He did not respond to that either.
F the Chittagong Division or District Sports Association. They believe that his experience and stature as a former cricket captain can greatly benefit the board, but feel that representation from long-standing, dedicated sports organizers is crucial for the development of cricket in the region.
while there is a warm reception towards Tamim Iqbal’s interest in a position within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), local organizers in Chittagong express concerns that such an appointment should not come at the expense of recognizing those who have historically contributed to local cricket governance. They advocate for a merit-based system that honors the hard work of seasoned organizers who have invested years in nurturing cricket at grassroots levels.