Bangladesh’s sports authorities have pledged to ensure justice after national cricketer Jahanara Alam accused several individuals of sexual harassment and misconduct within women’s cricket. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has already announced the formation of an investigation committee, while the government has expressed readiness to take legal action if required.
Jahanara, currently in Australia, made the allegations in an interview with sports journalist Riasad Azim, following an earlier interview in which she spoke about her experiences with the national team.
In a statement issued late on Thursday night, around 11:45 pm, the BCB said it had taken note of the serious allegations made by a former member of the national women’s team and would form a committee to investigate the matter.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan confirmed that officials had already contacted Jahanara. “Our office has reached out to the victim. If she wishes to take legal action, since this is a criminal offence, the government will ensure exemplary punishment with the utmost seriousness,” he said.
The adviser described incidents of sexual harassment as a major threat to the country’s sports sector. “Such allegations are not new. We have heard of similar incidents in other areas of sport as well. From a position of responsibility, we must ensure that no one can commit such acts and go unpunished,” he added.
