What Manjurul says about Jahanara’s allegations
Cricketer Jahanara Alam has accused former selector and manager of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team, Manjurul Islam, of sexual harassment.
In an interview given to a YouTube channel, she alleged that Manjurul used to touch women’s team players “improperly”. She also claimed that he used to ask her for extremely private health-related information.
Jahanara did not only bring allegations against Manjurul; she also accused several others of “destroying her career”. She said that particularly between 2021 and the subsequent year and a half, despite having reported everything to the higher authorities of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Women’s Wing, she did not receive any meaningful remedy.
Between 1999 and 2004, Manjurul played 17 Tests and 34 One Day International (ODI) matches for the Bangladesh men’s cricket team.
After retirement, the former left-arm pacer served in coaching and managerial roles under the BCB across various teams. From 2020 to 2023, he served as a selector of the national women’s team. During the same period, he also worked as the team manager in several series.
The former pacer is currently working in China as head coach of the women’s cricket team.
Speaking to Prothom Alo over the phone today, Friday, he claimed that all of Jahanara’s allegations are baseless and false.
He added that he is prepared to face any investigation committee in person upon returning to the country.
In the YouTube interview, Jahanara Alam claimed that Manjurul used to ask her for personal, women’s health-related information that would ordinarily only be known to the team physio.
In response, Manjurul said that, as manager, he would receive such information only through the physio who was attached to the team. He insisted that he had never personally questioned any player about such matters.
When asked whether he had ever questioned Jahanara on these issues, Manjurul replied, “Absolutely not. Where did I say that, when did I say that? Where is the proof of this! Wouldn’t her teammates have known, if that had happened? Let them say!”
Jahanara alleged that Manjurul would often physically touch players under the pretext of encouragement, including hugging or pulling them close to his chest.
Manjurul strongly denied the allegation of improper touching of women cricketers. Reiterating that he is willing to face any state or BCB-led investigation, the former national team pacer said, “I am ready to come to Bangladesh and sit before any inquiry at any time. I will come whenever I am called. I will do whatever the investigation committee instructs.”
In the interview, Jahanara claimed that in 2022 she submitted a letter to the BCB, informing chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury of the situation in detail. However, Manjurul claimed that he was never told anything by the board regarding any allegation of sexual harassment.
When asked why such allegations may have been raised against him, Manjurul said, “That I do not know. My main concern was discipline and rules. I was strict on those. I was strict about food too. Eating outside could harm them. If that is considered wrongdoing, and if I am punished for that, I have no objection.”