Ad Hoc committee at BCB: Cricket left trapped in politics’ vicious cycle

Governments come and go—elected governments, interim administrations, and then elected government again. Yet Bangladesh cricket remains caught in the vicious cycle of politics.

The latest example came yesterday, Tuesday, when the National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the elected board of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and formed an 11-member ad hoc committee, placing family members of BNP ministers and MPs in key positions.

The committee is headed by former national team captain Tamim Iqbal, who had previously submitted nomination papers for the BCB board elections on 6 October 20205 but withdrew amid allegations of irregularities.

Other members include lawyer Rashna Imam, wife of Bobby Hajjaj, MP; Mirza Yasir Abbas, son of Prime Minister’s adviser Mirza Abbas; Sayeed Ibrahim Ahmed, son of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed; and Israfil Khosru, son of Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.

The remaining members of the ad hoc committee include former national captain and ex-chief selector Minhajul Abedin, former cricketer and commentator Athar Ali Khan, and former board members Tanzil Chowdhury, Salman Ispahani, Rafiqul Islam, and Fahim Sinha.

Among them, Tanzil Chowdhury is chairman of Prime Bank, Salman Ispahani chairs Ispahani Limited, Rafiqul Islam is an official of the second-division club Indira Road Krira Chakra, and Fahim Sinha is a director at ACME Laboratories.

Fahim Sinha had also served on the BCB board during the last Awami League administration and under Faruque Ahmed’s interim board.

The ad hoc committee has been tasked with organising BCB elections within three months. However, outgoing president Aminul Islam has rejected the NSC’s decision in a press release, claiming he remains the board’s legitimate president.

In the 6 October elections, former national captain Aminul Islam was elected BCB president amid allegations of interference by then interim government’s Sports Affairs Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain in the nomination of district and divisional sports council councillors.

Tamim had campaigned actively to become a board director and had openly aimed for the presidency, but strategic election manoeuvres prevented him from succeeding, prompting him to withdraw along with 15 others.

Among those who withdrew and are now part of the ad hoc committee are Sayeed Ibrahim Ahmed, Israfil Khosru, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Rafiqul Islam, and Fahim Sinha—all reportedly backed informally by the BNP.

Since the elections, Tamim’s camp has raised allegations of irregularities and deliberately withheld cooperation with Aminul’s board in domestic leagues, culminating in the formation of the NSC investigation committee.

The investigation committee reportedly found irregularities in all three categories of BCB elections. Evidence of “unjustified” interference by former sports adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain was also mentioned. The committee claimed Aminul Islam, the former BCB president, along with his APS Saiful Islam, coordinated the e-voting process and engaged in manipulation.

Based on the report, the NSC invoked Clause 21 of its 2018 National Sports Council regulations to dissolve the board. This clause allows the NSC to take action if it finds irregularities in any of its affiliated sports organisations.

However, cricket and football are exceptions, as the global governing bodies of these sports do not allow government interference in their member boards. In 2001, FIFA suspended the Bangladesh Football Federation for precisely this reason during the BNP government.

NSC director Aminul Ehsan expressed hope that no such action would be taken in cricket and confirmed that the ad hoc committee has been communicated to the ICC.

State Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, had previously said the NSC investigation report would be sent to the ICC before any decision regarding Aminul Islam’s board.

Sources also indicate that efforts were made to secure ICC’s approval for the ad hoc committee in advance. Former sports adviser Asif Mahmud publicly alluded to this lobbying in a Facebook post, mentioning that a well-known cricketer had met former BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon in London to arrange meetings with ICC President Joy Shah, son of Amit Shah.

After being appointed chairman of the ad hoc committee, Tamim Iqbal sat in the BCB president’s chair yesterday afternoon and spoke to the media.

When asked whether he would contest the upcoming BCB elections, he confirmed that he would, stating that restoring Bangladesh cricket’s reputation would be the committee’s first priority.

In a press release last night, Aminul Islam reiterated that he remains the “BCB president,” dismissing the NSC investigation as “so-called” and asserting that no irregularities occurred in the 6 October 2025 election.

“I categorically declare that the report submitted on 5 April 2026 is flawed, careless, and legally unacceptable, carrying no legitimacy under the law or the BCB constitution,” he said.

Calling the NSC investigation “beyond its authority,” Aminul claimed the probe, initiated under State Minister Aminul Haque, was politically motivated and not a legal procedure. The report, he argued, is “quo non judicibus” (null for lack of jurisdiction).

He described the dissolution of the elected board and the formation of the ad hoc committee under Tamim Iqbal as a “constitutional coup,” calling the committee a “farce” and urging the ICC to intervene immediately.

Aminul maintains that, until a High Court ruling states otherwise, he remains the sole legitimate president of the BCB.

Reports suggest some of Aminul’s board members may seek legal recourse.

In other words, the power struggle for control of the BCB continues, leaving the sport itself secondary in Bangladesh cricket.