Reasons cited for dissolving Aminul’s BCB committee

Since last October’s BCB elections, allegations of irregularities and lack of transparency had been raised by a faction. On 8 March, several club representatives, and the next day some district and divisional sports councilors, submitted written complaints to the National Sports Council (NSC). Subsequently, the NSC formed a five-member investigation committee led by former Justice AKM. Asaduzzaman. That committee submitted its investigation report to the NSC last Sunday.

Based on this report, the NSC today dissolved the current BCB board led by Aminul Islam and announced an 11-member ad hoc committee headed by Tamim Iqbal. During the announcement, NSC’s Director of Sports, Aminul Ehsan, highlighted the irregularities identified in the investigation report.

In Category-1 of the BCB elections, 10 directors were elected from district and divisional sports councils. The deadlines for submitting councilors’ names in this category were extended several times. The investigation committee found that these extensions were made without proper justification and with hidden motives, allowing preferred councilors to be nominated and increasing their chances of being elected as directors.

The committee also found evidence of irregularities in the election of councilors from district and divisional sports councils. After the interim government came to power, the ad hoc committee was asked to send new councilor names. In this process, the investigation committee found proof of attempts to influence district sports council presidents. It was alleged that Saiful Islam, APS of then sports advisor Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, influenced relevant individuals.

Letters nominating councilors from district and divisional sports councils were sent by BCB’s then-president Aminul Islam. However, the investigation committee questioned the validity of that ad hoc committee, as most of its tenure had already expired. Irregularities were also found in the publication of the final voter list.

The investigation report cites “irrational” interference by former sports advisor Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan. The committee claims that former BCB president Aminul Islam, the former sports advisor, and his APS Saiful Islam jointly controlled the e-voting process and were involved in manipulating it.

Evidence was found that e-votes were cast from specific locations without maintaining confidentiality. Most e-voters were physically present on election day, which the committee considered a form of vote manipulation.

The committee also found evidence of “unreasonable influence” by Aminul Islam and Nazmul Abedin in the ad hoc committee for district and divisional councils, suggesting that the election process was controlled. Violations included breaches of ballot secrecy, unequal opportunity for candidates, and disruption of an independent election process, which the committee considers violations of the BCB constitution.

In Category-2, representing club councilors, the investigation report mentions evidence of threats and illegal coercion during the election. The e-voting system was misused, compromising councilors’ confidentiality. This occurred at the Sheraton Hotel, whose CEO, Sakhawat Hossain, had been elected as a BCB director.

The investigation committee believes election manipulation in e-voting occurred with the assistance of former sports advisor Asif Mahmud. The advisor and his APS Saiful Islam were involved and allegedly provided unethical advantages at various stages of the election.

In Category-3, reserved for former cricketers, one director was elected by the votes of 10 former cricketers. The responsibility for nominating these 10 as councilors was reportedly given to then-president Aminul Islam by the board directors at the time. However, when the committee requested audio or video records of the board meeting from the BCB, they asked for 3–4 weeks to provide them, which the investigation committee considered “unreasonable.” Other directors told the committee that the responsibility for councilor nominations had not been officially delegated to Aminul.