Shakib in, Durjoy out in shake-up of nominations for sports personalities

Bangladesh national cricket team's captain Shakib Al Hasan led a host of former stars in getting nomination for the 12th national parliamentary elections from ruling Awami League while former national cricket captain Naimur Rahman Durjoy, an incumbent member of parliament, failed to secure nomination from the ruling party.

Shakib's name was disclosed on Sunday afternoon when AL general secretary Obaidul Quader announced 298 nominees from the ruling party at the party at Bangabandhu Avenue.

Shakib will contest in the elections, scheduled for January 7, from Magura-1 constituency.

While Shakib will be contesting in the national elections for the first time, there are other names from the sporting fraternity who have secured nomination as sitting members of parliament, including former national cricket captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Narail-2), former national footballer and Bangladesh Football Federation's senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy (Khulna-4), Abahani's acting director-in-charge and BFF vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed (Jashore-3).

Apart from them, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, a director of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), was also awarded the ticket from Awami League from Moulvibazar-2 constituency while BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon also retained his nomination from from Kishoregonj-6 constituency.

However, Durjoy, a two-time member of parliament from Manikganj-1 constituency, failed to secure his nomination from the party, which also dropped Chittagong Abahani's secretary general Shamsul Haque Chowdhury from Chittagong-12 constituency.