image source, Getty Images
Shakib Al Hasan, the popular cricketer of Bangladesh, is being considered for the national cricket team again, after such a statement of the Bangladesh Cricket Board came forward, various discussions have started about it. Questions have also been raised as to why the initiative has been taken to bring him back after leaving him out of the team for almost one and a half years.
After the Kanpur Test against India in October 2024, Shakib could no longer play for Bangladesh.
Asif Mahmood’s statements on his Facebook status and in the press at various times have revealed that he is not being called to the team mainly for political reasons.
In the meantime, this sudden decision of the Bangladesh Cricket Board has surprised many people.
It also came at a time when the Bangladesh cricket team was officially confirmed to be out of the T20 World Cup starting in February.
The announcement came at a press conference at around 10 pm on Thursday after a meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket Board that lasted for about eight hours.
Under what circumstances can Shakib enter the team?
Bangladesh Cricket Board media committee head Amjad Hossain said in the press conference, “The board and selection panel will consider Shakib’s availability, fitness and ability to attend the respective venues in the future.”
Amjad Hussain said, “He also informed the board about Shakib’s interest in returning to the national team. There were discussions with him about playing in both home and away series and Shakib said that he wants to be available in both.”
It is said from the side of the board that this position has been reached after discussing with Shakib. His future inclusion will be decided keeping in mind the situation, schedule and venue.
But the final decision will depend on the actual situation and the evaluation of the selectors.
image source, Getty Images
There are still political considerations
Shakib Al Hasan was elected Member of Parliament for Awami League from Magura-1 constituency in the controversial election held in January 2024.
Criticism began to rise towards Shakib Al Hasan after receiving the nomination papers. Basically, the question arises whether a running cricketer can handle both sides by being engaged in important work like a member of parliament.
At the same time, there was a question about the election of the currently banned party Awami League, with that, Shakib Al Hasan’s ‘responsibility of being absent’ has been added to the July movement.
Shakib Al Hasan was in Canada during the July-August 2024 student uprising, having already signed up for a Canadian T20 league.
Shakib Al Hasan’s wife Umm Al Hasan Shishi wrote in a social media post, ‘Spent a beautiful day in Toronto’ during the nationwide crisis.
While Shakib was seen smiling and enjoying the moment, the matter was not taken well by many of the students in the movement at the time.
After that post, the anger towards Shakib Al Hasan increased.
After the coup, like many others, Shakib’s name was implicated in the murder case. Apart from this, the case of stock market scam and anti-corruption commission is also against Shakib.
However, even after the fall of the Awami League government, Shakib Al Hasan was in the team against Pakistan and India on foreign soil.
But trouble started during the home series against South Africa.
Although he announced his retirement after the Mirpur Test against South Africa in October, he did not return to the country due to controversy and protests over his political identity.
At that time, it was said by the government that if Shakib Al Hasan is a victim of public anger when he returns to the country, there is nothing the government can do.
At that time, he had to return to the United States midway as he did not get the government’s permission on his way back to Dhaka via Dubai to join the party.
Later, the spat between Shakib Al Hasan and former sports advisor Asif Mahmood Sajeeb Bhuiya on social media made headlines in Bangladesh media.
In an interview given to a private television channel in September last year, Asif Mahmud said that instructions will be given so that Shakib Al Hasan can no longer play in the Bangladesh jersey.
Posting a picture on Bangladesh’s ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday, she wrote, “Happy birthday to you”.
Then the then sports advisor Asif Mahmood wrote in a status on Facebook, “I took a thousand abuses for not rehabilitating a person. I elected, I did not indulge in politics.”
After Asif Mahmood’s post, Shakib also reacted on Facebook.
He writes, “Finally someone admitted, because of him I was not given the Bangladesh jersey anymore, I could not play for Bangladesh!”
Shakib Al Hasan has already created many controversies throughout his career, both on and off the field.
Sometimes he was seen in a state of shock, sometimes he was punished for making inappropriate gestures on TV cameras.
Apart from this, there are allegations against him, starting from non-payment of workers in his crab business to stock market scams.
There is also a murder case against Shakib in the July-August movement and an Anti-Corruption Commission-ACC case, even though Shakib Al Hasan was the goodwill ambassador of the ACC during the Awami League government.
image source, ICC
Has the political uncertainty passed?
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently said that he will be considered again in the team selection process and the door is open for a return to the national team. He has even been offered a central contract.
Despite BCB’s positive stance, the political uncertainty surrounding Shakib’s return is not completely over.
BCB media committee chief Amjad Hossain said, “Government will look into Shakib’s political issue, not BCB’s jurisdiction”.
However, the BCB has not given any clear explanation on whether the situation will change if the government does not want it. That means the question for Shakib Al Hasan in 2024 is still political.
BCB Director Asif Akbar’s statement clearly indicates that.
He said that Shakib has informed the board about his desire to go out of the country and discussions have also been held with the government. However, he also commented that the situation may be different if the government changes in the future.
Asif Akbar said, if the current government agrees to the matter, then there is no problem in Shakib’s return. But if the new government comes and takes a different stand, BCB will have nothing to do.
However, BCB director Asif Akbar had a different statement on this issue a few months ago.
At that time he said, if Shakib Al Hasan repents, apologizes, then he can return to the team. At that time he said that he does not see any possibility of Shakib Al Hasan returning to the team.
In November 2025, Asif Akbar said, “If Shakib is unrepentant, I don’t see the possibility of him playing cricket for Bangladesh. If he is in his current attitude, I myself would not want him to play.”
image source, Getty Images/BBC
Cricket Board’s ‘publicity stunt’?
Many analysts say that the Bangladesh Cricket Board has brought forward the issue of Shakib Al Hasan to cover up its own failure.
Ariful Islam Rony, head of the sports department of media outlet BD News Twenty Four, thinks that the cricket board is now in the most fragile state in recent memory. BCB has announced that it has accepted the ICC’s decision despite losing the ICC vote after losing the cricketing diplomacy. There will be no legal battle.
At such a time, the best cricketer and the biggest brand of the country’s cricket has been deliberately brought forward by Mr. Ronnie.
Analysts consider it a kind of ‘publicity stunt’ of the cricket board.
Meanwhile, Independent Television’s senior journalist Majhharul Islam said, “This cricket board used to avoid questions when Shakib Al Hasan’s name came up in the press conference a few days ago. Now they themselves are talking about Shakib’s issue.”
After August 5, 2024, the audience could not enter the field with banners or placards with Shakib Al Hasan’s name on them.
The administration and the police blocked it, and when they were questioned, the answer came from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
As a result, Majharul Islam is describing the current position of BCB as quite mysterious.
Because Shakib Al Hasan himself recently said in a podcast that he wants to retire after playing three formats and one more series.
In that case, it is also a question why a central contract is being considered for a cricketer who wants to retire, says Mr. Islam
https://www.bbc.com/bengali/articles/cpqywq8z87xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
