Mustafizur row: BCB official calls former Bangladesh player 'Indian agent'

A elder Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official’s remark calling erstwhile skipper Tamim Iqbal "an Indian agent" has drawn disapproval from players successful the country. Tamim, 1 of Bangladesh’s starring openers, had advised the BCB not to beryllium driven by emotion portion deciding connected the nationalist team’s information successful the T20 World Cup successful India. Nazmul, president of the BCB concern committee, made the remark successful a Facebook post.

"This time, the radical of Bangladesh witnessed, with their ain eyes, the emergence of yet different proven Indian agent," helium wrote. The station received contiguous backlash from erstwhile and existent cricketers, including Taskin Ahmed, Mominul Haque, and Taijul Islam. The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) besides expressed concern. "A remark made by BCB manager M Nazmul Islam regarding erstwhile nationalist skipper Tamim Iqbal has travel to the attraction of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh. We are stunned, shocked, and outraged by it. Such a remark by a committee authoritative astir the astir palmy opener successful Bangladesh's history, who represented the state for 16 years, is utterly condemnable." "Not lone due to the fact that it concerns a subordinate similar Tamim, but specified comments astir immoderate cricketer of the state are unacceptable and insulting to the full cricketing community," the players’ assemblage said successful a statement.

The 36-year-old Tamim played 70 Tests, 243 ODIs, and 78 T20 Internationals for Bangladesh. "We powerfully protestation against this comment. When a liable committee manager makes specified remarks connected a nationalist platform, it besides raises superior questions astir the codification of behaviour of committee officials," CWAB said. "We person already submitted a protestation missive to the BCB president, demanding a nationalist apology from the acrophobic committee manager and that helium beryllium brought nether accountability.

We anticipation the BCB president volition instrumentality due enactment arsenic soon arsenic possible," the connection added. Bangladesh had written to the International Cricket Council requesting their T20 World Cup games beryllium moved retired of India aft the BCCI asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to merchandise Mustafizur Rahman up of the 2026 edition. "Cricket is the beingness of Bangladesh. A caller remark surrounding a erstwhile nationalist skipper who has made a large publication to the crippled has caused galore to reflect," said pacer Taskin. "I judge that specified remarks directed astatine a erstwhile cricketer of the state are not adjuvant successful the involvement of Bangladesh cricket. I anticipation the acrophobic authorities volition see the substance earnestly and follow a much liable stance successful the future," helium added. In 2007, Tamim’s half-century had helped Bangladesh destruct India from the ODI World Cup successful the Caribbean. Former Bangladesh skipper Mominul said Nazmul’s remarks were unacceptable. "The remark made by BCB manager M Nazmul Islam regarding erstwhile nationalist skipper Tamim Iqbal is wholly unacceptable and insulting to the country's cricketing community. Such behaviour towards a cricketer is successful nonstop struggle with the board's work and ethics," Mominul said. "A elder cricketer was not fixed adjacent the minimum respect; instead, helium was deliberately humiliated successful public. Such remarks amusement a deficiency of adjacent basal decorum regarding wherever and however to talk portion holding specified a precocious responsibility. "I powerfully condemn this remark and firmly request a nationalist apology from the acrophobic manager and that helium beryllium brought nether accountability. I telephone upon the BCB to instrumentality swift and strict action," helium added.