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DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday announced the immediate removal of M. Najmul Islam from his role as Chairman of the Finance Committee, following a nationwide boycott by the country’s cricketers.
The boycott forced the postponement of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fixtures on Thursday.
The decision was taken by BCB President Md Aminul Islam under Article 31 of the BCB Constitution, with the board stating that the move was necessary to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of its operations.
Until further notice, the BCB president will himself serve as the Acting Chairman of the Finance Committee.
In an official statement, the BCB reiterated that players’ interests remain its top priority and stressed its commitment to safeguarding the dignity and honour of all cricketers under its jurisdiction.
The board also urged players to maintain professionalism and continue their participation in the BPL, underlining the importance of the tournament for Bangladesh cricket.
The development comes after a dramatic day on Thursday, when no teams arrived at the venue ahead of the scheduled BPL match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express.
The protest, led by the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), resulted in both BPL fixtures for the day being postponed.
The standoff stemmed from controversial remarks made by Najmul Islam earlier this week.
Speaking on the sidelines of a board prayer meeting for the late former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Najmul addressed questions about the financial impact if Bangladesh were to miss matches at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
He suggested the board would not suffer financially and added that players would receive no compensation if they missed out—comments that were widely condemned by cricketers.
Najmul had already been under fire after accusing former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent” in a Facebook post.
The remarks were made in response to Tamim’s recent interview, in which he urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing considerations amid uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup.
That uncertainty arose after the BCB decided against travelling to India for the tournament, citing security concerns, following a request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL squad.
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