The Towhid Hridoy fiasco in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League (DPL) has pulled back the curtain on the messy state of Bangladesh cricket, making it painfully clear to the world that indiscipline, weak leadership, and behind-the-scenes meddling still run riot.

While the passionate Bangladesh fans keep dreaming of rubbing shoulders with the cricketing elite, the way Hridoy's suspension saga played out has handed its critics fresh ammunition.

What should have been a simple disciplinary matter turned into a complete farce: Mohammedan captain Hridoy was handed a two-match suspension for having misbehaved with a match official, the ban was watered down, then suddenly reinstated, only to be pushed aside again after a bit of player pressure.

Just when it seemed like the saga was over after nearly two weeks, Hridoy earned another demerit point for dissent during their Saturday's DPL match, doubling his original ban in the process.

In the eyes of the world, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) now looks like a ship without a captain -- drifting aimlessly, where rules are bent whenever the winds of pressure blow.

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A teachable moment wasted

But it's not just the board that's been caught napping. Hridoy's own attitude throws up red flags about a wider issue.

As the captain of a heavyweight club like Mohammedan and a budding national star, Hridoy showed a worrying sense of entitlement. His post-match comment -- "we are also international players" -- screamed insecurity rather than leadership.

This points to a deeper trend: a generation of players growing up on early fame, social media hype, and poor examples set by seniors. Handling pressure, accepting mistakes, and respecting the rule of law -- the basics -- seem to be slipping through the cracks.

Hridoy's inability to take a deep breath and walk away from an on-field decision reveals an emotional immaturity that, if left unchecked, could easily derail a promising career of the 24-year-old who has already carved out a regular spot in Bangladesh's limited-overs sides, boasting 10 fifties and a century to his name.

Worse still, instead of facing the music and learning from it, he was shielded by favouritism and peer sympathy.

At the end of the day, by letting Hridoy off the hook, BCB has made a mockery of its disciplinary processes, and done Hridoy no favours either.

With the pendulum of errors continuing to swing, the future holds more puzzling possibilities for a cricketing nation at a crossroads.