Rubaba Dowla becomes BCB director

Corporate personality and women’s sports organiser Rubaba Dowla has been appointed as a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The National Sports Council (NSC) officially sent a letter to the BCB today, Monday, nominating her as a councillor. With Rubaba’s inclusion, the BCB’s 25-member Board of Directors is now complete.

The country’s highest cricket authority has two councillors nominated by the NSC. Following the BCB Board of Directors elections on 6 October, the NSC initially nominated two councillors, one of whom, Ishfaq Ahsan, became a subject of controversy. Today’s NSC letter mentioned that Ishfaq Ahsan has “resigned”.

After it came to light that Ishfaq held a position within the Awami League and had contested in the controversial 2024 national elections, the NSC decided to replace him with Rubaba. A report on this matter was published in Prothom Alo on 7 October.

However, Rubaba, who works for a multinational company, did not take up the post immediately due to some formalities within her organisation. Rubaba is currently serving as the country director for Oracle in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Previously, she held senior positions in telecom operators Grameenphone and Airtel.

Rubaba has long been involved in the field of sports. From 2009 to 2015, she served as the president of the Bangladesh Badminton Federation, and during the same period, she was a board member of Special Olympics Bangladesh.

Between 1998 and 2009, while serving as the chief communication officer and the chief marketing officer at Grameenphone, she became a well-known figure in the sports arena.

During that time, Grameenphone was the main sponsor of the Bangladesh national cricket team (2003–2011), and Rubaba played a role while the company collaborated with the BCB in establishing the National Cricket Academy in Mirpur back in 2007.

The BCB Board of Directors is holding a meeting today, Monday and Rubaba Dowla may attend. The other councillor nominated by the National Sports Council is Yasir Mohammed Faysal Ashique.