At a moment when Bangladesh is already wrestling with turmoil off the field, its most popular sport has been dragged into a controversy of its own, plunging the country’s cricketing ecosystem into uncertainty.
The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) has issued a stern ultimatum to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam over his controversial remarks about former captain Tamim Iqbal—remarks that now threaten to bring all cricketing activity in the country to a halt.
Players from Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express, scheduled to feature in the opening Bangladesh Premier League fixture, had not arrived at the venue at the time of writing, leading to an indefinite delay of the match. Earlier in the day, four first-division matches in the Dhaka Cricket League were also called off, reported ESPN Cric info.
As per media reports, Nazmul Islam referred to Tamim as an “Indian agent” amid the growing controversy surrounding the World Cup, a comment that sparked outrage across the cricketing fraternity.
In response, CWAB has demanded Nazmul’s immediate resignation, warning that failure to comply would result in a nationwide boycott by cricketers.
“The director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), M Nazmul Islam, must resign by 1 PM (local time) Thursday. If he does not resign, the cricketers will boycott all forms of cricket. The ultimatum is that he must step down before the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, which will begin at 1 PM Local Time,” CWAB president Mohammad Mithun said at a press conference on Wednesday.
As tensions escalated, the BCB moved swiftly, issuing a show-cause notice to Nazmul Islam for his publicly made objectionable comments.
“The board has already initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against the board member concerned,” the BCB said in an official statement.
“A show cause letter has been issued, and the individual has been instructed to submit a written response within 48 hours. The matter will be dealt with through due process, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the proceedings,” it added.
Despite the board’s action, CWAB has remained firm, reiterating its call for a complete boycott until Nazmul steps down from his position.
The controversy traces back to comments made by Tamim Iqbal, one of Bangladesh’s most respected cricketers, who had urged calm and dialogue amid strained cricketing relations with India. Tamim emphasized the need to prioritize Bangladesh cricket’s long-term interests rather than allowing emotions to dictate decisions.
Relations between the two boards deteriorated following the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL), reportedly on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) directive. The move triggered uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Tamim, speaking on the sidelines of the trophy-unveiling ceremony of the Zia Inter-University Cricket Tournament at the City Club ground on January 9, called for restraint.
“Since I am not involved [with the BCB], like any other regular person, I am finding things out through the media. But I am sure those dealing with these matters have a lot more information. So in that regard, I should not suddenly be making comments. What I am saying, however, is that Bangladesh cricket’s interest, future and everything else must be considered before making such a decision. There is nothing better than if something can be resolved through dialogue,” Tamim had earlier said as per The Daily Star.
Bangladesh’s scheduled visit to India for its T20 World Cup fixtures remains uncertain, with the BCB reportedly requesting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its matches outside India, citing “safety, security concerns” for players.
Nazmul Islam’s remark has not only angered fans across the country but has also drawn strong reactions from within the team.
Several of Tamim’s teammates have publicly rallied behind him, with players such as Mominul Haque, Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam posting statements on social media in protest, underscoring the depth of discontent within Bangladesh cricket.
