NSC cancels nomination of BCB president Faruque Ahmed

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed had a meeting with youth and sports adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Wednesday. In the meeting, the adviser gave him a message that the government wants to bring a change at the top post of the BCB.

Faruque Ahmed, however, decided not to resign from his position as president of the BCB.

Following that, eight BCB directors issued a letter to the Ministry of Sports expressing no confidence in the BCB boss. In response to their no-confidence appeal, the National Sports Council (NSC) cancelled Faruque Ahmed’s nomination.

The NSC confirmed the development through a press release sent to the media on Wednesday night. The NSC cited the eight directors' no-confidence in the BCB president and the need to maintain the normal course of reviewing the fact-finding committee's report on the BPL as reasons for his removal.

As per the BCB constitution, the board president is elected from among the board directors. As the NSC cancelled his nomination, Faruque Ahmed is no longer valid in his post.

Contacted after the cancellation of his NSC nomination, Faruque Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “I have seen the letter. I don’t want to make any comment on this. I will talk to my lawyers to set the next course of action.”

Asked whether he still considers himself the board president, “I really don’t know. Everything has to be done in compliance with the rule. However, I haven’t resigned as of now.”

The rumours centering the BCB president started to circulate following his meeting with the sports adviser Wednesday night where he was given indication that the government no longer wanted him in the top post of the BCB.

Although the BCB president admitted that he had a meeting with the sports adviser, he did not disclose the agenda of the meeting.

Later, speaking to Prothom Alo, the BCB boss said that he had decided not to step down.

“I have decided that I won’t resign. I haven’t been asked to resign either. I have been told that the government doesn’t want me in the top BCB post. However, I wasn’t provided with any explanation behind this. I simply cannot resign for no reason.”

Individuals involved with cricket believe that the BCB president’s decision will stand as a strong position against government interference in the affairs of the BCB.

A former national team captain, who preferred to remain anonymous, said nobody should be allowed to play games with Bangladesh cricket.

Although Faruque Ahmed was included in the BCB board of directors as a NSC nominated director, he is now an elected board president. So the government won’t be able to remove him now unless he resigns or is considered unqualified for any reason mentioned in the BCB constitution.

Any decision to force him to step down can put Bangladesh cricket in crisis. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is quite strict regarding any government interference in the board. ICC imposed a ban on Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka for government interference in the board.

Following the ouster of the Awami League government, the National Sports Council (NSC) nominated Faruque Ahmed and Nazmul Abedin as directors under the NSC quota, replacing former BCB directors Jalal Yunus and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam. Faruque Ahmed was later elected as president of the board in a meeting, after the resignation of former BCB president Nazmul Hassan.

Sources say the government is considering former Bangladesh captain Aminul Islam Bulbul as the board president until the BCB election scheduled to be held in October this year. The NSC already has issued a letter replacing an old councilor by Aminul Islam.