Newly elected Dhaka-6 MP Ishraque Hossain has confirmed he has no intention of joining the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), emphasising that he wants to dedicate himself to full-time politics rather than administrative roles in cricket.
Speaking to a national television channel, Ishraque explained the rationale behind his decision, citing concerns over governance and political interference in the board. “I am also a councillor. I will never join the board. I don’t have time for it. I will do full-time politics. I want those who are full-time sports administrators to take their place, and we will support them,” he said.
Criticises Nazmul’s conduct
Ishraque also raised concerns over recent board elections and the appointment process. “You all know how BCB councillors are appointed. The district administrator appoints them. It’s gross corruption. When the government advisor tries to seat their own syndicate on the board in a biased and commercialised manner, how can we just sit back?” he remarked.
The Dhaka-6 MP criticised the board for the controversial statements of BCB director M Nazmul Islam, who faced backlash for claiming Bangladesh cricketers would be disadvantaged if they did not play in the World Cup. Ishraque described these comments, along with remarks about former national captain Tamim Iqbal, as insulting to both the country and its people. “M Nazmul Islam has insulted our country and nation. We will not tolerate such matters. I have no idea by what process or how he rose to this position. These issues will come to light. There is no room for compromise on matters of national dignity,” Ishraque added.
Stance on Mashrafe and Shakib
Ishraque also spoke on allegations against cricketing icons Mashrafe Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan, asserting that they are national assets. “They are cricketers, but not ordinary ones—they are assets of our country. I do not find the murder cases against them credible. I do not believe they ordered anyone killed or carried out killings themselves. However, if there are cases of corruption or money laundering against them, the relevant authorities should examine those,” he stated.
Focus on cricket development
While ruling out a board role, Ishraque emphasised that he remains committed to cricket development through democratic and structured programmes. He highlighted plans to implement talent-hunt initiatives to identify and nurture young cricketers, aiming to bring them into professional ranks. “I am not saying everything should be changed, but our problems have been clearly identified. Now we need to work on them. We want to run programmes where talented cricketers can emerge through talent hunts and be brought into professional cricket,” he said.
