‘Can’t spell Bangladesh without a bang’

South Africa left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj on Wednesday admitted that he asked for advice from former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal regarding the conditions in Mirpur and also claimed that the southpaw was spot on about how the surface was going to behave. 

Earlier this year, Maharaj played for the Fortune Barishal, captained by Tamim, in three of their matches during the 10th edition of Bangladesh Premier League.

Both the players developed a good relationship while playing in the BPL and when Maharaj came to Bangladesh with the Proteas to play the ongoing two-match Test series against the hosts, he texted Tamim straightway to know more about the conditions and what to expect from the wickets.

"Yeah, I just sent Tamim bhai a message. I have got a good relationship with him, obviously playing in the BPL," said Maharaj, who has already taken six wickets so far in the opening Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

"I just asked for some advice relating to the conditions and how to go about business, and he gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play, and yeah, it wasn't wrong. And he read the wicket to the tee."

After a difficult start to the match, Bangladesh staged a fightback on Day 3 as Mehedi Hasan Miraz (87 not out) and Jaker Ali Anik (58) scored fifties and put together a 138-run stand for the seventh wicket before rain and bad light forced an early close to the day's proceedings. The Proteas are still on top as the hosts lead by 81 runs with only three wickets left.

"Bangladesh have done really well today. The conditions got a little bit better, if I'm honest, with a slightly used ball. But I think we're still ahead. Bangladesh have a lead and we've got three wickets more to go," Maharaj said after the third day of the match.  

"We can restrict them as much as possible, but I still feel we'll be in the driving seat, considering the good work that our batters have done in our first innings. 

"Look, ideally we'd like to restrict Bangladesh to 100 or below that but it's important that we start well in the morning and then assess from there."

Bangladesh's struggle in Tests, compounded by poor fan engagement and stadium conditions, raises questions about Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) commitment to fostering a strong cricket culture.

Bangladesh fans, often unwavering in their support, faced their latest disappointment both on and off the field during the second and final Test between Bangladesh and South Africa at Chattogram's Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) on Wednesday.

The Tigers' struggle on the pitch -- ending the second day four down for 38 after the visitors declared on a mammoth 575 for six -- was painfully mirrored by fans' frustrations in the galleries, where mismanagement added to an already disheartening experience.

Among the 500 fans who braved the heat, Helal Uddin, who travelled from Noakhali for the match, was quick to voice his dissatisfaction with conditions at ZACS.

"Actually, it is extremely hot weather, and the Bangladesh team isn't doing well either. That's why the crowd is mostly silent during the South Africa innings," he said, before reserving harsh criticism for the venue's organisers.

"There is no shade in most parts of the galleries. In such extreme hot weather, it has become difficult for the crowd to stay longer here under the direct scorching heat. Apart from that, there is a lack of food items here to select from, and the price is also high. The toilets aren't up to the mark either."

BCB's seemingly limited focus on creating a comfortable experience for fans at Test venues was reflected by the stadium's food vendors, who offered only two items despite a list of 23 options. A chicken burger was priced at 160 tk, while the only other item, Khichuri, selling at 120 tk, was not even on the approved list of vendors authorised by BCB's marketing and commercial department.

"Actually, most of our food remains unsold every day. That's why we came up with limited items," one vendor said, pointing to the lack of planning to attract and accommodate Test spectators.

With a lacklustre Test culture in Bangladesh, devoid of signs of progress, with galleries often empty and fan morale low, the board must realise that the consequences of this trend jeopardise the national team's success in the long run.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's desire to play his farewell Test on home soil suffered a big blow yesterday when he was excluded from the 15-member squad for the first Test against South Africa, scheduled to start on October 21 in Mirpur.

After a drama-filled Thursday, where Shakib chose not to board a Bangladesh-bound flight from the UAE for security concerns and later on the day Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud revealed he had advised the cricket board to discourage Shakib from returning because of public anger, the selectors yesterday dropped the all-rounder and brought in uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad.

"We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test. He is at the end of his Test career but along with his experience, we still do not have someone of that calibre with both bat and the ball to replace him," chairman of the national selection panel Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu was quoted in a media release yesterday.

Even though it is certain that Shakib will not feature in the Mirpur Test, the saga is refusing to quieten down on social media, news portals or even in the streets.

As many as 80 to 90 fans of Shakib gathered at the main entrance of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at yesterday noon with banners, demanding Shakib's safe return to the country to play his farewell Test and also to stop encouraging mob violence against the 37-year-old.

Shakib's childhood coach Mohammad Salahuddin expressed sadness at how the situation is panning out, saying he deserved a shot at redemption as he had already apologised for his silence during the student-led people's movement in July-August.

"I have never felt so much anger and grief towards the people of the country as I am feeling today. As humans, don't we all make mistakes? If someone repents, he should be given another chance," Salahuddin wrote on Facebook yesterday.

"Today, they [Shakib and Mashrafe] are enemies just because they didn't put any status on social media… They have never harmed anyone, only helped people. They are not murderers," he added.

Meanwhile, another childhood coach of Shakib's Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, who is now a director at the cricket board, refused to comment on the issue at a press conference in Mirpur yesterday.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said that the public anger against the ace all-rounder was not unwarranted.

"There has never been a player like Shakib in Bangladesh's history," Asif Nazrul said during a programme aired on private TV station Channel I. "He could have been the most popular man in Bangladesh's history if he had gotten involved with a fascist government," he said.

"I just can't believe it… When people were being killed, when people were crying, were angry, and suffering everywhere, he posted that he was 'enjoying life at'—I don't know where. How could a human being do that?" he said, referring to a social media post made by Shakib's wife during the protests when they were in Toronto, Canada.

"I feel for him, but the anger against him doesn't feel unwarranted."

Faruque Ahmed was officially announced as the president of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on 21 August. Yet, just two months in, governance issues are already surfacing within the board. While former president Nazmul Hassan Papon ran operations like a one-man show, Faruque appears to be centralising operations similarly, as seen in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's captaincy situation.

Despite three board meetings and an emergency session under Faruque's tenure, no standing committees have been formed, leaving 12 directors inactive and raising concerns about BCB's effectiveness. The National Sports Council (NSC) has also questioned the absence of certain board directors, who reportedly fled after the fall of the Awami League government, urging BCB to clarify its position on forming a committee to amend its constitution.

Faruque attended a press conference yesterday and discussed agendas related to the NSC and other matters, but addressing the media ahead of the board meeting resulted in no significant decisions being discussed.

"Yes, there are agendas [to be discussed in the board meeting], but the way you are asking, it's as if five-six months have gone by. We went through three board meetings in 10 days, and it's the fourth meeting today," Faruque said, adding that the board is undertaking the task of forming the committee to amend the constitution.

Increasingly, it appears the functions of particular departments are not running as they should. Many BCB officials remain unsure of decisions they need to make until consultation with the BCB president. BCB sources inform that even meeting agendas and minutes are not being provided before or after meetings.

Faruque informed there are seven to eight directors now working and admitted they could not form the committees, and he himself is heading many departments' functions "on an ad-hoc basis".

"These standing committees, we will try to give them some form in one week. Maybe I will be acting head of four departments, and with me, I will have a member secretary, as per rules from councillors, and try to form committees, those that are important," he informed.

It is true that the BPL scheduling and shaping the tournament had taken a lot of attention. However, as there is too much on the board president's plate, the failure to delegate matters has also been felt.

Jalal Yunus resigned, and so did Khaled Mahmud Sujon. One was the cricket operations chairman and the other the vice-president. While office functions did not stagnate, decisions have. The case of Bangladesh captain Shanto, informing board officials that he does not want to continue as captain, highlights the ineffectiveness around BCB.

Players are required to report any issues to the cricket operations department. Many times in the past, former president Papon faced criticism for handling these matters personally, often bypassing proper channels of communication.

"I can't understand anything unless I sit with him [Shanto]. You can't make decisions based on reading newspapers," he said, underlining that a key department, such as cricket operations, regarding this important matter, also stagnated because the BCB president had too much on his plate.