On Wednesday, September 4, Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, announced that he will barring active cricketers from joining politics. This proposal targets prominent figures like former captain Mashrafe Mortaza and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, both of whom have ventured into politics while still playing international cricket. Asif also highlighted the need to regulate cricketers' involvement in endorsing betting companies.
Asif expressed his belief that players should focus on their sports careers and only enter politics post-retirement to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain professionalism. He shared that he had already discussed this issue.
Furthermore, he addressed concerns about advertising, stating that athletes should adhere to guidelines that outline which businesses they can support. "There are allegations against Indian cricketers, and perhaps even some Bangladeshi players, about promoting betting companies, which should be controlled by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)," he added.
Asif also proposed limiting BCB presidents to two terms, arguing that long-serving officials risk becoming authoritarian. He cited former BCB president Nazmul Hasan, who held office for three terms, with two uncontested re-elections.
He explained that prolonged leadership can undermine democracy and pointed out that globally, constitutions restrict leaders like prime ministers and presidents to two terms. He expressed hopes for a similar change within Bangladeshi sports federations to promote fair governance.
Asif noted that discussions with BCB directors and the president are ongoing, with the goal of establishing a guideline that would prevent anyone from serving more than two terms as president.
Additionally, Asif pointed out the importance of accountability for district and divisional BCB councillors, urging them to regularly organise cricket tournaments. He mentioned that previously, some councillors neglected their duties as there was no threat to their positions. To address this, the interim government has dissolved all divisional and district bodies, planning to form an ad-hoc committee to oversee operations.
Asif mentioned that the National Sports Council (NSC) is creating a guideline for all sports, not just cricket, to ensure that inactive councillors are held accountable. Regular performance and progress reports will determine whether a councillor remains in their position.
He reassured that the BCB reforms are underway, in line with both ICC regulations and BCB’s constitution. Asif confirmed that political interference in BCB operations is not permitted and all changes would proceed within a legal framework, as evidenced by the recent selection of a new BCB president and directors.
Asif also stated that any further constitutional changes will be handled without political involvement, ensuring that board members who fail to fulfil their duties are replaced in compliance with the BCB’s constitution.