Following a controversial election process, newly appointed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul has called for unity and expressed his willingness to work with those who withdrew their nominations, including former national captain Tamim Iqbal.
A total of 21 candidates, including Tamim, pulled out of the election, citing government interference and an unfair electoral environment. Initially, 16 candidates withdrew, followed by five more in the days leading up to the vote. The withdrawal of opposition candidates meant nine were elected unopposed, with the remaining seats also effectively uncontested. Eventually, 23 members were elected from three categories, and two more were appointed from the National Sports Council (NSC), forming a 25-member board.
Despite criticism and allegations from various club organisers in Dhaka, including Tamim, Bulbul defended the legitimacy of the election. He maintained that the process followed the BCB’s constitution and electoral guidelines.
“Disputes like this occur before elections in every country and in every sector,” Bulbul said, addressing the controversy. “To my knowledge, we remained within the framework of the BCB constitution and electoral regulations.”
Bulbul was appointed president by the newly elected directors immediately after the vote. Faruque Ahmed and Shakhawat Hossain were elected as vice presidents. While acknowledging the disputes surrounding the election, Bulbul emphasised the importance of moving forward collectively.
“First and foremost, I want to make it clear that we want to work together for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket,” he said. “Who is on the board and who is not is not the issue. We invite all stakeholders to support us in taking cricket forward.”
Bulbul expressed a willingness to personally approach those who withdrew from the process, including high-profile figures like Tamim, who had entered the race as a councillor for Old DOHS Club before withdrawing, accusing the process of being rigged. Prominent clubs such as Mohammedan and Abahani also have no current representation on the board.
“We will go to those who could not come,” Bulbul added. “We will approach them to see how they can support cricket. Bangladesh is for everyone and the election is only a small formality. We will try to reach out to everyone and take Bangladesh cricket forward together.”
