Former national football captain and BNP sports affairs secretary Aminul Haque has accused the government and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud of direct interference in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections. Speaking at the opening of the Zia Inter-Volleyball Tournament at Paltan on Tuesday, Aminul claimed that the adviser personally summoned and threatened several councillors to ensure the re-election of former national cricket captain Aminul Islam Bulbul as BCB president.
“The main concern is government interference and the sports adviser’s direct involvement. There is evidence of every act of interference. Many councillors called me saying they were summoned and pressured to vote in a certain way,” Aminul said.
The elections, held on Monday, saw 23 directors elected for a four-year term, with the National Sports Council nominating two additional members. Bulbul was re-elected unopposed, and the new board held its first meeting the same night, with a postponed session resuming on Tuesday afternoon.
Controversy surrounded the polls from the outset. Amid allegations of a “fixed” election, 21 candidates, including former national captain Tamim Iqbal, withdrew, citing government interference and irregularities. Initial nominations in the club category fell from 30 to 15 candidates, and nine directors were effectively guaranteed positions prior to voting. Aminul also alleged financial irregularities in the process, raising doubts about the legitimacy of the board’s newly elected members.
“The behaviour of the sports adviser is unacceptable. The BCB belongs to all of Bangladesh, not any individual. His actions have created an environment of frustration and deprivation among cricket lovers,” Aminul said, warning that such arbitrariness would not be accepted by sports organisers or fans.
