Bangladesh Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque has ruled out Shakib Al Hasan return to the national side after he attended a media event with exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Shakib attended the event virtually by telephone from New Delhi on Wednesday, during which Hasina addressed journalists two years after her ouster in student-led protests.
The statement from Haque came a day after Shakib’s home was vandalized in Magura town. Shakib Al Hasan, currently in Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League, also said earlier today that he was ready to face a trial upon his return to Bangladesh.
“If I get the clearance from the government that my security will be ensured, I am happy to go back, face the court trial and everything that needs to be done,” Shakib told Reuters.
“I know I haven’t done anything,” he added.
Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel
Meanwhile, Haque released a statement, saying that Shakib had lost the chance to make a return to the national side after sitting with an ‘autocrat’.
“We had been looking at the matter with considerable flexibility and tolerance. After this, I do not think there is any room to think that way anymore,” Haque said.
“Someone who has taken the stage with the autocrat no longer has any opportunity to return,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s leading sporting figure and has represented Bangladesh in 447 international matches and five World Cups.
The 39-year-old had announced his retirement plans in September 2024 following Bangladesh’s second Test in India, but later changed his mind.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stated in January that he could play again, but his involvement in the event in India sparked outrage and quashed his hopes of returning.
READ: PCB announces match officials for National Champions Cup
