In the latest episode of a management shake-up, the National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the board of directors of the country’s cricket regulator on Tuesday. The decision follows a probe report that found the board’s October 2025 election to be marred by irregularities. The NSC has put an 11-member ad hoc committee, headed by former men’s national team captain Tamim Iqbal, in charge of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), a move rejected by the now-former board president, another national cricket veteran, Aminul Islam Bulbul, who has categorically denied the allegations levelled against his team. This dramatic changeover has naturally raised eyebrows.
The probe report, we are told, found several instances of irregularities during the election, such as government interference, including by the then sports adviser, disputes over councillorships, loopholes in BCB constitution, and undue influence wielded by the then president and other board members. In fact, these controversies surrounded the election from the beginning, with the current ad hoc president—who was also in the running in the polls—withdrawing from the contest, alleging “political interference and conspiracies.” We cannot help but wonder: why did the NSC not investigate these allegations at the time?
Interestingly, the ad hoc committee has failed to escape the political influence that its predecessor was accused of. The new management includes several members who are direct relatives of sitting ministers and have no connection with professional cricket. How are they expected to serve the interests of the sport without relevant expertise? For a government that aims to remove political influence from sports—as the state minister for youth and sports has recently reiterated—this move is indeed baffling.
This whole state of affairs has set a poor precedent, and regardless of who comes out on top, cricket will be the ultimate victim. If the government is committed to the growth of sports, it must break the cycle of partisan interference and ensure that all sports administrations are beyond reproach. The immediate priority should be to ensure that the ad hoc committee adheres to its mandate of holding the BCB election within three months. Beyond that, it must ensure that only those with expertise in professional cricket get a seat at the table. And to keep the election free from controversy, members of the ad hoc committee should not be allowed to take part in it. If they wish to contest, they must first step down from their administrative roles.
We also urge the NSC to ensure that future BCB boards are formed in line with the standards set by the International Cricket Council. To this end, it must examine the alleged constitutional loopholes and amend the BCB constitution as necessary.
