The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has landed in fresh controversy after its finance committee chairman, M Nazmul Islam, accused former national captain Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent,” sparking widespread outrage within the cricketing fraternity.
The remark came after Tamim urged the BCB to adopt a pragmatic approach and prioritise cricket while deciding Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The BCB has already written to the ICC requesting the relocation of Bangladesh’s World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have recently deteriorated, further strained by the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders amid ongoing developments.
Against this backdrop, Tamim’s call for a balanced, cricket-first decision triggered a sharp response from Islam, who took to Facebook to attack the former skipper.
“This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent,” Islam wrote.
The comment drew a strong reaction from Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who expressed deep hurt over the disrespect shown towards one of the country’s greatest cricketers.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Shanto said the remark was unacceptable and reflected poorly on those tasked with safeguarding the interests of players.
“Very sad, very sad because such comments were made about a cricketer, a former captain, and in my opinion, one of Bangladesh’s most successful cricketers whom we grew up watching. As players, we expect respect – whether someone is a former captain, a regular player, successful or not. At the end of the day, a cricketer hopes for respect,” said the Test captain.
“What hurts most is that the cricket board is supposed to be our guardian. We expect them to protect us. As a player, I cannot accept such a comment. Parents should correct you at home, not in front of everyone. So such a comment from someone who is supposed to be our guardian is very difficult to accept. I completely reject it as a player,” he added.
Amid mounting criticism from all quarters, Islam later issued another Facebook post, clarifying that his comments were made in an individual capacity and did not reflect the stance of the entire BCB.
“When the Bangladesh cricket team is facing security risks in India over the Mustafizur issue, the Honourable Sports Adviser, having anticipated the matter, instructed the BCB to discuss with the ICC the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup from India to Sri Lanka. Even the Honourable Foreign Affairs Adviser supported the decision of the Sports Adviser,” he wrote.
“In such a situation, going against the sentiment of the people of the country, a legendary cricketer who scored 15,000 runs in international cricket wearing the Bangladesh jersey, is now batting in favour of India. This is purely my personal opinion. Please do not take this comment in any other way,” he added.