2024-08-07 08:36:39
While various institutions were affected by the quota reform movement, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remained unscathed. Nothing happened except for a few scattered brick-and-mortar throwing. However, the day after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, a different picture is seen.
On Tuesday (August 06) morning, the sports organizers of the opposition, which had been neglected for so long, started coming to the BCB. Party personnel were with him. As the day progressed, their anger increased.
Rafiqul Islam Babu, former Joint Secretary of BCB and Chairman of the Grounds Committee, was in the leadership.
Apart from this, Cricketers Welfare Association General Secretary Debbrat Pal, sports organizer Tariqul Islam Titu and others were in the front row. National team cricketers Nurul Hasan Sohan and Muminul Haque were also seen on the board that day.
They demand that the board runs in absolute power, corruption is rampant. Where there is no sports organiser, they have signaled to run the board in a transparent process. Titu said so in the media.
‘You know it’s the fall of a dictatorial government. Now there is no Prime Minister in the country, maybe in a day or two a government will be formed in the country. Before that we don’t really want to do anything. We are not a political face, we are sports organizers. All those who are here were with sports. You have seen that the cricket board was run by the employees of an autonomous organization who worked here earlier. There was no organizer of cricket.’
‘But when we were there, we wanted to try to get all the organizers here. The board will continue as it is now. We spoke to the CEO before coming, but he didn’t come. I don’t know why he didn’t come. The tours we have now will continue as there is no government and no board. Now the staff who are there, I have given them responsibility, they will now manage the board. Do not do more than what is necessary. Later, when the government is formed, we will think about it.
Debbrata Pal spoke to RisingBD. He said on the phone that he will not apply any pressure on board demolition until the end of the current term. However, he added a condition that he should proceed with transparency.
He said on the phone, ‘We will sit with them, we will ask for accountability about everything. If there is a problem, it will be said where it should be said. We want everything to go well. Let there be all the tours, so that there is no problem with the game of cricket.’
Former Chief Selectors Minhajul Abedin Nannu and Habibul Bashar Sumon were all present on this day. Both are in different responsibilities. Bashar, who is currently in charge of women’s cricket department, told RisingBD that he has come to discuss the important agendas ahead of women’s cricket.
Nannu said, ‘Now we have to keep the cricket going with everyone’s cooperation. The bilateral series we have, the team’s tour, the Test series in Pakistan ahead. For these to happen on time, we need everyone’s cooperation and here we are determined to take cricket forward with everyone’s cooperation. There is no disagreement here, so we need everyone’s cooperation here, we will take cricket forward in a good way, it is our responsibility.’
Bashar said, ‘I believe it will pass soon. Maybe not for a few days, it will start again soon. Hopefully the programs that are in place will start. Because, we have a very important time ahead of us. We have the games, the World Cup, the national team tour, hopefully everything will be fine. We are dreaming of something new and better.’