Tamim denies Asif’s claim of seeking 15 clubs’ exclusion

Asif Mahmud alleged that Tamim Iqbal wanted 15 clubs barred from the Bangladesh Cricket Board election. Tamim, however, dismissed the charge as “the biggest lie possible,” insisting he had instead pleaded for those clubs to be included.
The turbulence surrounding the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections shows no sign of easing. On the eve of the polls, Tamim Iqbal dramatically withdrew his nomination papers, along with 15 other candidates, citing election fixing and government interference. He had repeatedly urged the authorities to remain neutral before stepping aside.
In a television interview, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan claimed it was Tamim’s camp that tried to manipulate the process. Speaking later to DBC News, Asif went further:
“When the organisers were splitting into two groups, Tamim bhai told me, ‘Bhai, can’t those 15 clubs be excluded?’ (laughs). I told him it was not in my hands. Why he walked out just because of those 15 clubs is beyond me.”
The matter of the 15 clubs has been contentious. Initially barred from participation, they were later reinstated, before a High Court order finally ruled they could not take part in the election.
Tamim rejected Asif’s version in strong terms. Speaking to DBC News, he said:
“To save those 15 teams, I requested him to let them stay. I have proof of this, I am not saying it without basis. It is very unfortunate. To claim that I asked for those 15 teams to be cancelled nothing could be a bigger lie than that.”
The BCB election is scheduled for 6 October, unless there are further developments.