Asif Mahmud expresses dissatisfaction over cricketers’ remarks

The much-discussed upcoming election of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has now drawn a reaction from Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, the Youth and Sports Adviser to the interim government. He expressed strong discontent over the recent public remarks by current cricketers on Facebook. According to him, it is completely inappropriate for active cricketers to speak out about board elections, and he termed it a direct breach of contract.

Speaking to the media on Friday about the BCB election, the Sports Adviser said, “Nowhere in the world do active cricketers talk about board elections. Our cricketers are contracted professionals. Their job is to play on the field, not to get involved in election politics. Such statements are a violation of contract.”

He further alleged that in Bangladesh, cricketers are repeatedly dragged into elections and politics, which damages the sporting environment. In his words, “Getting cricketers involved in factionalism is nothing new. It happened before, and it’s still happening. Those who are behind this should be ashamed. Cricket cannot be turned into a tool of political division.”

Recently, after the exclusion of 15 Dhaka clubs from the BCB’s preliminary voter list, several national team cricketers reacted simultaneously on social media. Soumya Sarkar, Taijul Islam, Mominul Haque, Irfan Shukkur, and Mohammad Mithun all posted the same message on their Facebook pages, expressing frustration over the election process.

Their statement argued that such decisions put the future of the country’s cricket at stake. At the same time, they demanded a fair, transparent, and impartial election.

Both former and current cricketers have voiced strong reactions on the matter. CoAB president Mithun Alam wrote in his statement, “What is happening surrounding the BCB election is absolutely undesirable. We want the election to be free and fair. The future of cricket is the real issue here.”

Meanwhile, former national team pacer Rubel Hossain wrote on social media, “Board presidents coming and going should be as natural as a toss. But the election should take place in a healthy environment, where only cricket emerges as the winner.”

The preliminary voter list of the BCB was published on September 23. Later, on September 26, the final list was released, in which the previously excluded 15 Dhaka clubs were reinstated. According to the board’s constitution, a total of 23 directors will be elected from three categories. They will be joined by two nominated directors, and it will be these 25 directors who will vote to elect the new BCB president.

The much-anticipated BCB election is scheduled to be held on October 6. Surrounded by drama, reactions, and controversies, the cricket arena of the country is now passing through a heated time.