A senior Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official calling former captain Tamim Iqbal "an Indian agent" has not gone down well with the players in the country.
Tamim, one of the finest openers to have come out of Bangladesh, had advised the BCB to not be driven by emotion while deciding the way forward on the national team's participation in the T20 World Cup in India. Thirty-six-year-old Tamim played 70 Tests, 243 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals for his country in a fairly accomplished career.
Nazmul, chairman of BCB finance committee, called the left-hander opener "an Indian agent" in a Facebook post. "This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent," he wrote.
The post received immediate backlash from former and current cricketers, including Taskin Ahmed, Momimul Haque and Taijul Islam. Even the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) expressed shock at Nazmul's comments.
"A comment made by the BCB director regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal has come to the attention of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh. We are stunned, shocked and outraged. Such a remark by a board official about the most successful opener in Bangladesh's history is utterly condemnable. Such comments about any cricketer are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community," the players' body said in a statement.
"We strongly protest against this comment. When a responsible board director makes such remarks on a public platform, it also raises serious questions about the code of conduct of board officials. We have already submitted a protest letter to the BCB president, demanding a public apology from the board director and that he be brought under accountability. We hope the BCB president will take appropriate action as soon as possible," the CWAB added.
"Cricket is the life of Bangladesh. A recent comment surrounding a former national captain who has made a major contribution to the game has caused many to reflect," said pacer Taskin. "I believe such remarks directed at a former cricketer are not helpful in the interest of Bangladesh cricket. I hope the authorities consider the matter seriously and adopt a more responsible stance in the future.”
Mominul said the comment made by the BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal is completely unacceptable and insulting to the country's cricketing community. “Such behaviour towards a cricketer is in direct conflict with the board's responsibility and ethics," he said.
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