Bangladesh Cricket Board Shake-Up: Why Was the BCB Dissolved?

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) faces a major shake-up as the National Sports Council dissolves the board and appoints an ad-hoc committee, led by Tamim Iqbal, to oversee fresh elections amidst controversies surrounding the previous leadership.

Aminul Islam Bulbul

IMAGE: Aminul Islam Bulbul was removed as BCB president primarily due to the fiasco during the T20 World Cup where the Bangladesh team could not participate in the mega event. Photograph: BCB/X

Key Points

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been dissolved by the National Sports Council (NSC).
An ad-hoc committee, led by former captain Tamim Iqbal, has been formed to manage the BCB.
The ad-hoc committee is tasked with holding fresh elections for the BCB within 90 days.
The removal of Aminul Islam Bulbul as BCB president is linked to controversies during the T20 World Cup and internal disputes.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been informed of the changes, but a ban is unlikely due to the announced timeline for elections.

Days after Bangladesh Cricket Board reached out to BCCI requesting the revival of bilateral ties, former skipper and current president of BCB Aminul Islam Bulbul was on Tuesday removed by the country's National Sports Council (NSC), which formed an ad-hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs till fresh elections are held.

Reasons for the BCB Dissolution

According to sources in the BCB, Bulbul was removed primarily due to the fiasco during the T20 World Cup where erstwhile interim government advisor Asif Nazrul literally held the former skipper hostage and didn't allow the national team to visit India for the global event.

Anti-India hardliner Nazrul's stand was to shift Bangladesh's games from Kolkata and Mumbai to Sri Lanka as a mark of protest for removal of Mustafizur Rahaman from the IPL.

During the whole issue, Bulbul was a mere bystander and over the past few days, six directors of the BCB resigned because of him.

Ad-hoc Committee Details

Former Bangladesh skipper and country's greatest opener Tamim Iqbal has been named as head of the 11-member ad-hoc committee, whose duty would be to hold the cricket board's election in the next 90 days.

According to NSC Director Aminul Ehsan, the decision to dissolve the current BCB board and put forth an ad-hoc committee has been intimated to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

While the ICC charter doesn't allow government or external interference in board matters, it is unlikely that the global body will ban the Bangladesh board as a timeline to hold the elections has already been announced by the NSC.

The 11 member ad-hoc committee comprise Tamim Iqbal (president), Athar Ali Khan, Rashna Imam, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Syed Ibrahim Ahmed, Minhazul Abedin Nannu, Ishrafil Khusroo, Tanzim Choudhury, Salman Ispahani, Rafiqul Islam, Fahim Sinha.