Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has said he was unable to return home despite receiving clearance from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, alleging that government interference ultimately prevented his arrival.
Shakib claimed he was given a green signal by both a former sports adviser, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, and the current sports adviser, Asif Nazrul. He also said the Bangladesh Cricket Board had fully confirmed the arrangements. However, after he boarded a flight from the United States and landed in Dubai, he was advised not to continue due to what he was told were sudden changes in circumstances.
Shakib went further, alleging that political pressure influenced the board’s position. He argued that any government involvement in board decisions would be against international regulations and said the issue should be referred to the International Cricket Council. He described the situation as a failure on the part of the board to facilitate his return.
BCB director and Bangladesh Premier League governing council member secretary Iftekhar Rahman Mithu declined to directly address Shakib’s allegations. Instead, he said the matter related to a period before the current board leadership and should be addressed by the then BCB president, Faruque Ahmed.
“This is a valid question, but I am not the right person to comment,” Mithu told reporters. “The incident did not happen under the current president. That does not mean the board had no role, but whether there was political influence is something the president at the time can explain, as all communications were handled by him.”
Mithu added that, given the renewed public discussion, the board should consider addressing the matter internally. He indicated that he would speak to the current BCB president and the media committee chairman, although any formal response would be decided at the leadership level.
Shakib, who has been out of the national setup for an extended period, expressed frustration at the episode. He said a cricket board should operate independently of government influence and insisted that if the board was unable to ensure his return, responsibility lay with its administrators rather than with him.
