Allegations of harassment have once again unsettled Bangladesh’s sporting community. The issue gained renewed attention after former national women’s cricket captain Jahanara Alam publicly accused a colleague of sexual harassment, prompting widespread discussion about the treatment of women in sport. Soon afterwards, similar claims emerged within the shooting fraternity.
On Friday, former national shooter and coach Sharmin Akter Ratna filed a sexual-harassment case at Gulshan Police Station against the shooting federation’s current joint secretary, GM Haider Sajjad. She was accompanied by two active shooters, Kamrun Nahar Koli and Emma.
Although complaints of abuse in sport are not uncommon, it is far less common for victims to pursue legal action. Ratna, known as one of the more outspoken figures in Bangladeshi sport, said she felt compelled to escalate the matter. “After lodging a general diary, I have now applied to open a case. It has been accepted under Section 10 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. We have informed the relevant governing bodies, who are conducting their own inquiries, and we have also sought state legal support to ensure justice is pursued under national law,” she said.
Shooter Emma had previously levelled similar accusations against Sajjad in the media. The National Sports Council (NSC) subsequently formed an inquiry committee on 20 November and instructed it to submit its findings within seven days; more than a week has already passed without a report.
Numerous complaints have been made against Sajjad by both female and male shooters. The controversial official had been banned by the federation in the past. This year, he was omitted from the search committee’s list of recommended names for the federation’s executive positions, yet he later reappeared as joint secretary. Sajjad has consistently denied all accusations, dismissing them as baseless. Figures within the sporting sector have called for a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the truth.
