Former national football team captain and BNP’s sports affairs secretary Aminul Haque has alleged that the recent Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election was influenced by government interference, particularly by Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan.
The election, held on Monday at a five-star hotel in Dhaka, saw the selection of 23 directors for a four-year term, along with two more appointed by the National Sports Council (NSC). Following the voting, former national cricket team captain Aminul Islam Bulbul was elected BCB president.
However, Aminul Haque claimed that Asif Mahmud acted “autocratically” to ensure Bulbul’s election victory. “I have received credible reports that the sports adviser personally called in and threatened several councillors to vote a certain way,” Aminul alleged on Tuesday at the opening of the Zia Inter-Volleyball Tournament at the Handball Stadium in Paltan.
“The biggest concern about the BCB election is direct government intervention,” Aminul said. “There is evidence of interference by the sports adviser. Many councillors told me they were summoned and intimidated.”
Earlier, former national cricket captain Tamim Iqbal and 16 other candidates withdrew from the election, citing similar allegations that the results were predetermined. They also questioned the legality of a letter issued by BCB president Aminul Islam regarding district and divisional councillor nominations, calling it invalid. Although the matter reached the High Court, the election proceeded after the court ruled the letter valid.
Commenting on this, Aminul said, “The High Court has ordered a full bench hearing on the matter. If the letter is later declared invalid, the entire election process could be nullified, even though the members have already been elected.”
He also raised concerns over alleged financial transactions linked to the election. “I have information that money was exchanged to influence votes,” he claimed. “It is deeply worrying that some board directors may have been elected through financial dealings. This raises serious doubts about the future of Bangladesh cricket. The election process itself has been questionable, and the country’s sports community will not accept it easily.”
