The press conference was held to outline the Ground development initiative across the Country, where Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Grounds Committee chairman Khaled Masud Pilot briefed the media on Tuesday, announcing plans to renovate and prepare 137 additional wickets nationwide.
However, the briefing took an unexpected turn when Pilot chose to walk out of the press conference alongside Abdur Razzak Raj, chairman of the High Performance department after declining to answer a question from a journalist. The incident led to a heated exchange with several senior journalists present.
Under a newly introduced BCB directive, sports journalists were initially barred from entering the Mirpur stadium. The board later clarified that journalists would be allowed limited access citing security concerns. According to the revised arrangement, media personnel will only be permitted to enter the stadium premises and media centre on selective occasions, subject to BCB directives or invitations.
Towards the end of the press conference, the former Bangladesh captain Pilot was asked to clarify what specific security threats journalists posed. He declined to respond and instead questioned a freelance journalist, saying, “You asked this question just to get some views, right?”
The situation quickly escalated, creating a chaotic scene inside the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium press conference room. Pilot was confronted again over his remarks. Explaining his decision to leave, he said while exiting the room with Razzak, “I am honestly saying, no, I am not speaking as a director. I am personally saying I don’t like the way you asked that question, which is why I am stepping away.”
Earlier, Pilot had unveiled what he described as a future-oriented project during a 30-minute presentation, outlining BCB’s plan to prepare 137 wickets across several venues nationwide by the upcoming June.
Following the last election, the cricket board has struggled to ensure regular competitive cricket in the Dhaka club circuit and across the country. Bangladesh has also withdrawn from the T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. When asked why the board was prioritising wicket construction at a time when organised cricket itself faces uncertainty, Pilot avoided a direct response.
“My responsibility is to state the facts, as I have been entrusted with a role on the board. To our knowledge, matches are being played at all the venues we have identified, and games are held at each of those grounds,” he added.
