Bangladesh’s cricketing establishment was upended on Tuesday, 7 April, when the National Sports Council dissolved the Aminul Islam Bulbul-led Bangladesh Cricket Board and installed a new 11-member ad hoc committee headed by former captain Tamim Iqbal.
The manner of Bulbul’s departure said it all. A man who once strode through the BCB’s main entrance left Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur through the pocket gate, having received the news of his board’s dissolution before he could return from an inspection visit to the National Cricket Ground in Purbachal. Six other BCB directors reportedly learned of their dismissal while travelling to Bogura for a venue inspection.
Tamim arrived at the BCB office to assume charge as head of the ad hoc committee. The 11-member panel includes several individuals reported to have political links with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), alongside cricket and sports figures.
Among those with BNP connections are Israfil Khashru, son of finance minister Amir Khasru Mohammad and a member of the BNP’s international affairs sub-committee; Syed Ibrahim Ahmed, son of home minister Salahuddin Ahmed; Mirza Yasir Abbas, son of BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas; Barrister Rashna Imam, wife of State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj; and Fahim Sinha, nephew of BNP leader and former minister Mizanur Rahman Sinha. Fahim Sinha previously served as a director on both the Najmul Hasan Papon-led board and the interim BCB board. Other members include former national captain and chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu, former all-rounder and commentator Athar Ali Khan, Tanzim Chowdhury, Salman Isphanai, and Rafiqul Islam Babu.
NSC Director of Sports Aminul Ehsan addressed the media on Tuesday, stating, “The National Sports Council’s independent probe committee has found significant irregularities in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s 2025 election. After reviewing the report in line with the 2018 NSC guidelines, a decision has been made to dissolve the board.” He added that the decision and formation of the ad hoc committee had been communicated to the ICC to avoid any allegations of government interference. “The ICC has already been informed via email. At the same time, an 11-member ad hoc committee has been formed, which will be required to hold a fair election within three months,” he said.
On March 11, the NSC formed a five-member independent inquiry committee following a formal letter from Tamim and representatives of 50 Dhaka-based clubs. The inquiry committee identified multiple irregularities in the last BCB election, ranging from alleged government interference and favouritism in district-level councillorship to delays in publishing the voter list and concerns over the e-voting system. It also flagged the inclusion of then BCB president Bulbul and director Nazmul Abedeen Fahim from Dhaka Division in the councillor list despite controversy surrounding their inclusion through ad hoc arrangements.
Aminul Ehsan said, “Bulbul and Nazmul Abedeen Fahim were included in the ad hoc committees of Dhaka Division and Dhaka District on September 8, 2025, with support from the sports adviser and NSC officials to secure their councillorship and pave the way for their election as BCB directors. The committee termed this biased intervention a serious abuse of power.” The probe committee also raised questions over the legality of the ad hoc committees, as most had already expired, yet councillor names were still submitted through them.
Former youth and sports adviser Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan was also flagged for alleged interference in the election process. The committee, based on multiple interviews, found evidence of undue interference by the former adviser, who allegedly influenced changes in ad hoc committee members and pressured voting in favour of preferred candidates, both personally and through his APS Saiful Islam. None of the individuals named appeared before the committee or provided any explanation regarding the allegations.
The committee also found indications of coordinated manipulation of the e-voting process involving the BCB president, the former sports adviser, and his APS. Many councillors interviewed believed the e-voting system had been pre-arranged and implemented in a planned manner. The 2025 BCB election process was found to have been influenced and controlled by the BCB president, the former sports adviser, and their associates. The process was described as neither fair nor transparent, with reports of voter intimidation and widespread procedural irregularities, including violations of the BCB constitution such as breaches of ballot secrecy, equal opportunity for candidates, and the requirement of an independent electoral process.
Overall, the probe committee identified 21 irregularities across different categories of councillors, along with three broader issues. In Category 2, covering Dhaka-based club councillors, the committee found evidence of coordinated manipulation involving Aminul Islam and government officials, misuse of the e-voting system, and irregularities in the nomination of former vice-president candidate Faruque Ahmed. Voters were reportedly forced to cast votes from specific locations in the presence of government officials, undermining transparency and privacy. Category 3, covering former cricketers and others, noted that the BCB failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify councillor nominations approved under Aminul Islam’s authority, and pointed to actions by Aminul described as beyond his authority, as well as shortcomings in the BCB constitution and voting system. The committee made three key recommendations, including constitutional amendments and reforms to BCB election regulations and the election commission.
The probe committee was led by retired Supreme Court judge AKM Asaduzzaman and also included additional secretary of the ministry of youth and sports Md Selim Fakir, DMP joint commissioner Mohammad Nasirul Islam, sports journalist ATM Sayeed Uzzaman, and Supreme Court advocate Barrister Saleh Akram Samrat.
Addressing the media after the first meeting of the newly formed ad hoc committee, Tamim was direct about the scale of the task ahead. “Our first task must be to restore the reputation of Bangladesh cricket. Over the last one and a half years, Bangladesh cricket’s reputation has been damaged, and restoring it is our most important priority,” he said.
He acknowledged the committee’s electoral mandate but was clear that reputation came before process. “We have been entrusted with the responsibility of helping conduct a free and fair election within three months. We will carry out this responsibility as honestly and as quickly as possible. At the same time, we will ensure that day-to-day activities, including World Cup issues, are properly managed.”
On the broader culture at the BCB, Tamim was candid. “Those who work or have worked at the BCB should proudly say they work here. I am not sure if that pride can currently be expressed given the activities of the past one and a half years. We must restore that pride. Players must be respected, and every stakeholder must be respected.”
He was also refreshingly honest about the road ahead. “We will make mistakes, and our team may also make mistakes, but we will learn from them and continue to try.”
When asked whether he might stand in the eventual election himself, Tamim kept his options open. “You would have to ask me personally. I may choose to participate, or someone else may. When a free and fair election is held, I will request everyone interested to participate. We aim to create an atmosphere where everyone can take part.”
