Former Bangladesh men’s team captain Tamim Iqbal has called for an independent investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment and mental abuse raised by former women’s team captain Jahanara Alam. In a Facebook post on Friday, Tamim urged that the probe be conducted outside the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to ensure impartiality and transparency.
Tamim said Jahanara’s allegations were extremely serious and, if proven true, completely unacceptable. “Such behaviour cannot be tolerated against anyone, whether a national cricketer, an athlete from another sport, or any woman in general,” he wrote.
While acknowledging that the BCB has already formed a committee, Tamim argued that a separate body under the National Sports Council or government supervision should investigate the matter. “There should not be any BCB representative on the committee to avoid even the slightest possibility of bias. This must be treated with utmost urgency and seriousness, and those found guilty must face exemplary punishment,” he added.
Tamim also criticised the BCB’s quick dismissal of Jahanara’s earlier concerns about the team environment, saying such complaints should be examined carefully rather than rejected outright.
The former captain encouraged other women who may have faced similar experiences to speak up. “I am hearing about more such incidents from various sources. I urge every woman cricketer who has faced harassment, in any form or at any level, to come forward bravely. You will find me and many others standing beside you,” he said.
Tamim warned that failure to ensure justice in this case could discourage young women from taking up sports. “If justice is not served, future generations of girls will fear entering cricket or any sport as a profession. We cannot allow that to happen,” he concluded.
