Bangladesh Cricketers Demand Apology to End Boycott Amid Controversy

Cricketers Ready to Resume Play

Dhaka, Bangladesh - January 15: Players from Bangladesh are prepared to lift their boycott of cricket if Nazmul Islam, a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), issues a public apology for his recent derogatory comments about them, as reported by a sports news outlet.

Following his remarks labeling former captain Tamim Iqbal an 'Indian agent' for advocating dialogue between cricketing nations to address the T20 World Cup impasse, Nazmul further inflamed tensions by stating that the BCB is not obligated to compensate players if they miss the T20 World Cup, citing their lack of major tournament victories.

This sparked significant backlash within the cricket community, leading to the cancellation of matches in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Dhaka Cricket League scheduled for Thursday due to the players' boycott.

Nazmul expressed, 'The question of compensation is irrelevant. We have invested heavily in them, yet they have not delivered results. Have we won any global trophies? If we had, we could have demanded a return on our investment,' as reported by a local media outlet.

The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) president Mohammed Mithun and prominent all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz held press conferences addressing Nazmul's comments, with Mithun calling for his resignation and Miraz condemning the remarks as 'shameful and inappropriate.' Miraz also highlighted how the International Cricket Council (ICC) and sponsors provide substantial support to players.

In response, the BCB announced Nazmul's removal from the chairmanship of the Finance Committee, but players are insisting on his complete removal from the board and are demanding a public apology.

BCB president Aminul Islam, a former captain, reportedly suggested that Nazmul could only apologize in a 'closed-door meeting,' a stance that did not sit well with the players he spoke to, including several senior players.

Following this conversation, the CWAB released a statement indicating that players would participate in the BPL on Friday and would end their boycott if Nazmul publicly apologized. They also expressed their willingness to allow the BCB time to address Nazmul's position on the board.

'We appreciate the decision to remove Nazmul from the finance committee,' the CWAB stated. 'However, we expect a public apology for his insulting remarks about the players. We are ready to return to the game on Friday if he apologizes publicly and the process regarding his directorship continues.'

The situation now rests with the BCB to find a resolution, although some individuals present during the call with Aminul expressed skepticism about a positive outcome.

Two BPL matches are scheduled for Friday: Dhaka Capitals versus Rangpur Riders at 2 PM local time and Chattogram Royals against Rajshahi Warriors at 6 PM local time.

Earlier on Thursday, after the first match was boycotted, Mithun stated, 'The players have been told about procedures at every step since last night.'

'They proposed a solution, but we did not agree. They requested 48 hours for their procedures, and after discussions, we decided that if Nazmul does not resign within that time frame, we will cease playing.'

'We protested, leading to the cancellation of the first game today. If we play the second game but Nazmul remains after 48 hours, we will stop again. We will only proceed if the BCB guarantees his removal within that timeframe and assures that players will not face penalties for their decision to boycott,' he concluded.