Positive Signal from Aminul on the Return of Shakib and Mashrafe to Cricket

Within hours of assuming state responsibility, newly appointed State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque clarified his position regarding two of the country’s most discussed sports figures. Speaking to journalists at his residence in Mirpur after taking the oath, he said that if legal complications are resolved swiftly, there could be a possibility of seeing Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza back in national cricket.

After being sworn in earlier in the afternoon, the former national football team captain spoke to reporters in the evening. During the discussion, the issue of Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza came up. He noted that a quick resolution of the cases filed against them could make their return to cricket easier.

It is worth mentioning that following the student–public uprising on August 5, 2024, Shakib Al Hasan — an Awami League-nominated Member of Parliament and national team all-rounder — has not returned to the country. Similarly, former national captain and former Member of Parliament Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has not been seen publicly for a long period. Both face multiple cases, including murder charges, while Shakib also faces several additional corruption allegations.

In this context, urging for the swift completion of legal proceedings, Aminul Haque said, “Since there are cases against them, through a quick resolution of those matters, I also want Shakib and Mashrafe to be able to return to Bangladesh cricket. We want to prioritize this matter with utmost flexibility and tolerance.”

He further stated, “We want the cases that have been filed to be resolved through state-level decision-making so that he can return to Bangladesh quickly.”

After assuming office, the minister also clarified his stance regarding the cricket board, stating that they intend to proceed in accordance with the rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC). In his words, “I have spoken before about the cricket board election, and I am saying it again — it was a highly questionable election. But since I am now in a responsible position, I will sit with them and determine through discussion how we can move to a better position.”