Top Bangladesh cricket official sacked amid T20 World Cup row

Dubai: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday dismissed a senior official after leading men’s players went on strike, deepening a crisis that has already seen the country refuse to tour India for next month’s T20 World Cup.

The board has been in turmoil since relations with India deteriorated, prompting Dhaka to ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move Bangladesh’s group matches to co-host Sri Lanka. The tournament is due to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh still scheduled to play four matches in India.

Tensions escalated after Najmul Islam, chairman of the BCB’s finance committee, criticised players who had demanded compensation if the team withdrew from the marquee event.

“We are spending so much money on them, yet they are unable to perform in different conditions,” Najmul said. “Have we won any international awards? What have we achieved at any level? Why should there even be a question of compensating the players?”

Immediate backlash

His remarks triggered an immediate backlash, with teams withdrawing from Thursday’s opening match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and demanding his removal within 48 hours.

The BCB distanced itself from Najmul’s comments and later announced his dismissal.

“Following a review of recent developments and in the best interest of the organisation, the BCB President has decided to release Mr Najmul Islam from his responsibilities as Chairman of the Finance Committee with immediate effect,” the board said in a statement.

The dispute traces back to January 3, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

While the BCCI did not publicly explain the decision, Mustafizur’s presence had drawn criticism from some right-wing groups in India following the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh in December.

Political relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have worsened since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of India. India’s foreign ministry has since condemned what it described as “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, a claim disputed by interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Mustafizur, who has previously featured for several IPL teams, was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for more than $1 million at December’s auction. His release sparked outrage in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, captained by Litton Das, are currently ranked ninth in the ICC T20 standings. Despite appearing in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup, they have never progressed beyond the group stage.

With inputs from AFP