The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appears to be in a state of flux after several directors confronted finance committee chairman M Najmul Islam over remarks he made in a recent media interview. While the atmosphere on the field remained calm during an Odommo Bangladesh T20 Cup match on Thursday, tensions ran high in the boardroom.
Najmul has previously courted controversy with comments targeting senior cricketers, including Tamim Iqbal, remarks that once prompted players to boycott all forms of cricket and led to a one-day halt of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). His latest interview with Ekhon TV once again sparked discontent, this time over his criticism of an increase in umpires’ match fees.
“Two years ago, an umpire’s match fee was 700 dollars and now, after two years, it’s 2,000 dollars,” Najmul had said. He added that those in charge ‘know better’ and that as the finance committee chairman, he found such progressions to be ‘unusual’.
“If I give someone an increment, there must be a limit. If I have to increase it, I have to do it in line with my surrounding circumstances,” Najmul had said.
Najmul also raised questions about the cost of cricket gear provided to under-19 players, saying he was unsure whether the money was directly received by players or how it was spent, though it had been disbursed through the board.
These remarks drew sharp reactions from BCB directors. Umpires’ committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman Mithu confirmed that Najmul was questioned over his comments.
“He said it was unacceptable that umpires’ match fees were increased abnormally. He also talked about cricket gears which were given by the board to U-19 players.
“Previously everyone was getting 50,000 Taka or 500 dollars. This time I divided the framework into three categories. For elite panel, the fee was set at 2500 dollars, for ICC international umpires, it was 1000 dollars, and for ICC non-international umpires, it was 700 dollars. This guy [Najmul] said that whether this money is actually being received [by umpires] was doubtful. I raised the elite panel umpires’ match fee to 2500 this year, but if you look at other franchise leagues such as PSL, elite panel umpires get 4000 dollars. I asked how he [Najmul] can say these things during a discussion at the board,” Mithu told The Daily Star.
“He also talked about cricket gears [during interview] asking questions about Game Development’s cricket gear purchases. He asked if an emerging player is deserving of a 35,000 Taka cricket shoe. He was pointing fingers at 60,000 Tk bat but this guy doesn’t understand that U-19 players do not have that kind of money which is why the board got these. For instance, if you are giving someone like Nahid Rana cheap cricket shoes, he will develop back problems and the pain will destroy his career,” Mithu added.
At least 10 directors reportedly raised concerns about Najmul’s remarks, placing formal complaints before BCB president Aminul Islam. Sources said heated exchanges took place, with some directors even threatening to resign and questioning Najmul’s reappointment to the finance committee.
“The situation was very bad, with shouting going on,” a director claimed. There are also suggestions within the board that Najmul’s growing popularity has influenced his conduct.
“After so many things he said, how can he be reappointed in finance committee?” Even the players’ boycott was managed by the board and after that how do you bring him back?” a BCB director said, wondering where such decisions were coming from.
BCB president Aminul Islam had apparently, on quite a few occasions, asked Najmul not to make remarks like the ones he made in his latest interview. “I think the matter [regarding Najmul’s comments] is not that simple. From the inside, some other people are running him,” a source said.
Without actions, unhappy BCB directors are apparently unsure what will happen next. “We have left things as it was yesterday,” the director claimed, suggesting the fiery situation may continue.
