Dhaka, Jan 09— Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director and finance committee chairman M. Nazmul Islam has come under fire for labelling former national team captain Tamim Iqbal as an “Indian agent,” following Tamim’s cautionary comments regarding the national team’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup in India.
Nazmul Islam’s remark, posted on social media, stated: “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent.” Screenshots of the comment went viral, sparking widespread criticism from the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) and prominent cricketers.
CWAB called the statement “utterly condemnable” and demanded accountability, urging the BCB president to secure a public apology from the director. “Such remarks about a player of Tamim’s stature, who represented Bangladesh for 16 years, are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community,” the association said in a statement.
Several national players, including Taskin Ahmed, Mominul Haque, and Taijul Islam, also criticised the comments. Taijul said, “Such choice of words by a board director about a national cricketer is tasteless, unacceptable, and contrary to our cricketing culture. I strongly demand a public apology and appropriate accountability.”
Mominul added that the comments were “completely unacceptable and insulting to the country’s cricketing fraternity,” while Taskin emphasised that such statements “are not helpful in the interest of Bangladesh cricket” and called on authorities to adopt a more responsible stance in the future.
The controversy follows Tamim’s remarks on the IPL removal of Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders and the BCB’s reaction urging the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India. Tamim described the incident as “unfortunate” but stressed the importance of measured decision-making for the long-term interests of Bangladesh cricket.
He said, “Decisions should consider the future of Bangladesh cricket. Many issues can often be resolved through discussion. The interests of Bangladesh cricket come first for me.”
The incident highlights tensions within Bangladesh cricket as the national team prepares for the T20 World Cup, raising questions about board conduct, ethics, and public accountability.