Tamim Iqbal pledges to restore BCB’s reputation after taking charge as president
Small groups gathered outside the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters in Mirpur, Dhaka, with some chanting slogans as they came to congratulate the new ad hoc committee led by Tamim Iqbal. Tamim has visited the BCB office at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium many times before, but this visit was different.
Dressed in a black blazer, Tamim Iqbal was surrounded by cameras the moment he stepped out of his car, an all-too-familiar scene. What was new, however, was the chair he took inside the boardroom. This time, he had arrived at the BCB as its president.
Even earlier in the afternoon, such a development had seemed unlikely to many. Rumours had been circulating for several days that the BCB committee led by Aminul Islam might be dissolved, but few had assumed it to happen so suddenly.
Earlier in the day, the now-former president Aminul had spoken to journalists while inspecting the Purbachal Stadium, outlining future plans for the venue.
About an hour before the National Sports Council (NSC) officially announced the dissolution of the board, vice-president Faruque Ahmed had also addressed the media. Neither gave any indication that they were about to step down.
For the last 12 years (before 5 August 2024), the BCB had largely been led by one individual, Nazmul Hassan. In the last 20 months alone, however, it has seen three different presidents.
Even as the press conference at the NSC was underway, Aminul Islam, Nazmul Abedeen, and Khaled Mashud were present at the BCB building in Mirpur. Once the announcement was made, they began leaving the premises one by one.
Despite keen interest from journalists, none of the departing directors made any comments.
Within a couple of hours, Tamim arrived at the BCB office, where hundreds had gathered. Making his way through the crowd, he took his seat as president and briefly visited the cricket operations department, which oversees the national team.
He later chaired a board meeting with the 11-member ad hoc committee. Following the meeting, it was announced that Tamim Iqbal would represent Bangladesh at both the ICC and the ACC, while Tanzil Chowdhury was appointed as the board’s spokesperson.
In a brief statement lasting only a few minutes, Tamim said, “Usually, when people take on such responsibilities, they speak about development and other matters. But my team and I feel that our first and foremost task is to restore the reputation of Bangladesh cricket. The damage done over the past year and a half must be repaired; that is our top priority.”
Tamim Iqbal , who was vocal about their failures, takes on the responsibility of leading the cricket board, a challenge he had long been eager to take on.
The ad hoc committee, under Tamim’s leadership, has been given a three-month mandate, during which it must organise elections. He expressed confidence in fulfilling this responsibility. “We will try to complete this task as quickly and as honestly as possible.”
When asked whether members of the ad hoc committee would be eligible to contest the election, the NSC’s director of sports did not provide a clear answer.
Tamim Iqbal, however, stated that members are free to run if they wish. Confirming his own intention to contest, he said, “We want a free and fair election in which everyone interested—cricketers, organisers, and all stakeholders—can participate.”
As he left the brief press conference, Tamim was once again followed by a swarm of cameras. Having lived in the spotlight since the early days of his playing career, the former captain is accustomed to such attention. Yet the path he has now embarked upon presents a different kind of challenge.
For the last 12 years (before 5 August 2024), the BCB had largely been led by one individual, Nazmul Hassan. In the last 20 months alone, however, it has seen three different presidents. Like Tamim, his two immediate predecessors, Aminul Islam and Faruque Ahmed, were also former national captains.
Tamim Iqbal , who was vocal about their failures, takes on the responsibility of leading the cricket board, a challenge he had long been eager to take on.
In the most recent election, he had even submitted nomination papers for a director’s post before later withdrawing, citing “irregularities and a lack of transparency”.
For now, as head of the ad hoc committee for the next three months, Tamim has set two immediate goals: restoring the “lost” reputation of the BCB and conducting a credible election. Whether he succeeds remains a question only time can answer.