More than a year after submitting his resignation, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat’s application has finally been accepted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Saikat, an ICC Elite Panel umpire, had been under contract with the BCB and continued to receive his regular salary over the past year. However, his resignation has been made effective from April this year.
During last year’s Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL), Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy publicly disputed one of Saikat’s decisions on the field. The Mohammedan Sporting Club captain was visibly furious and was seen arguing with the umpire during the match.
After the match, Hridoy told the media, “If he (Saikat) is an international umpire, then I am also an international cricketer.” Following both his on-field misconduct and post-match comments, disciplinary action against Hridoy was inevitable. Although he was initially handed a two-match suspension, the ban was later reduced to one match.
Objecting to what he believed was an overly lenient punishment, Saikat submitted his resignation. However, his application remained pending for a long time, even as the BCB underwent changes in its leadership. Eventually, under the board led by Tamim Iqbal, the BCB accepted Saikat’s resignation.
The previous BCB administration had planned to appoint Saikat as an umpire educator, but that proposal will no longer materialize following the end of his association with the board. Despite parting ways with the BCB, Saikat intends to continue officiating domestic matches in Bangladesh.
