Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed’s comments have cast a shadow over Shakib Al Hasan’s return to Bangladesh. Faruque said that the BCB cannot provide security for Shakib, saying that the board is not a security agency.
Shakib is currently playing in the two-match Test series against India, with the second match set to begin on Friday.
However, a day before the match, Shakib announced his sudden retirement from Tests and T20Is, saying that if his security was assured, he would like to play his last Test in Mirpur next month against South Africa.
While Shakib mentioned that the board would oversee his security, the BCB president held a different view. “The matter of security is not in our hands,” Faruque said on Thursday. “He will have to decide on this matter. The board cannot say anything about this. The BCB does not have the ability to provide security to a specific individual.”
Faruque further clarified the board`s stance on this, saying that the BCB is not an agency like the police and suggested that ensuring Shakib’s security should be handled by the government.
During the retirement announcement, Shakib noted that he had spoken with the BCB president. “Shakib is going through a bad time in his life,” Faruque said. “I did not try to convince him (to not retire). He thought that it’s the right time to retire.”
Shakib’s concern for his safety stems from his political background. He was a member of the previous government under Sheikh Hasina, which was ousted following a popular uprising led by students. After deadly protests that resulted in at least 700 deaths when the police tried to quell them, Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5.
Since then, many members of her Awami League party, including Shakib, have faced murder charges, raising chances for Shakib to get arrested. Shakib has not returned to the country since Hasina’s ouster.
Shakib had hinted that he would leave the country after his possible last Test in Mirpur. However, with Faruque’s comments on Shakib’s security, his homecoming now appears uncertain.
