State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque has announced that officials and employees appointed to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) during the 16-year Awami League rule will be investigated for irregularities, with appropriate action to follow.
He made the remarks on Sunday (29 March) during a supplementary question session in parliament, posed by MP Md. Mosharraf Hossain. The session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal in the absence of Speaker Hafiz Uddin.
Investigation of illegal appointments since 2008
Responding to the question, Aminul Haque said, “As you all know, from 2008 onwards, during the era of the previous government, all sports in Bangladesh, including the Cricket Board were politicised and subjected to party influence. This led the sports sector towards destruction. Following the Prime Minister’s directives, I am working to depoliticise and restore the sports sector from this collapse.”
The minister assured that a committee would be formed promptly to investigate officials who obtained appointments illegally through party influence since 2008. The identities of those involved will be revealed to the public.
He added that in the past, a group exploited BCB finances and manpower to interfere with voting rights, engaging in misconduct. Officials and employees involved in such actions will face investigation and accountability.
Mosharraf Hossain had questioned whether officials who misused BCB property during the 2018 and 2024 elections, as well as unqualified or party-affiliated appointees, would be brought under the law.
The minister noted that concerns have emerged regarding the personal assets of corrupt BCB officials and employees. He said he would appeal to the Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission to share any ongoing investigations so that the findings could be made public.
Sports to become compulsory from fourth grade
In response to a question from Chattogram-16 MP Zahirul Islam, Aminul Haque said that from the next academic year, sports will be mandatory from fourth grade. The programme will start with seven events and gradually expand, promoting a balance between study and physical activity while reducing children’s screen time.
