Uncertain times in BCB

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has fallen into uncertain times after the fall of the Awami League government, still quite a few board officials returned to work yesterday as the BCB like the rest of the country tried to return to some resemblance of normalcy.

The BCB has its hands full at the moment with many assignments lined up for various teams which includes the national team's tour of Pakistan in August.

The ICC is also reportedly monitoring the situation in Bangladesh and mulling whether or not to shift the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, set to begin in Bangladesh in October, elsewhere.

Members of the Army observed the BCB premises during a visit yesterday and assured the BCB of providing security in case of any trouble.

Although many BCB officials were absent, which includes president Nazmul Hassan Papon, those who were present yesterday said they are working according to the plans which had already been laid out.

The women's team players underwent individual training sessions in Mirpur even though their practice sessions for the T20 World Cup will officially begin on August 10, informed head of operations of BCB's women's wing Habibul Bashar.

Bashar also said that a decision on the tournament taking place in Bangladesh is likely by August 10.

The women's National Cricket League (WNCL), which will be played in the T20 format to help prepare the cricketers for the upcoming tournament, is set to begin on August 19, and Bashar saw very little scope of that getting postponed.

"I talked to the players and told them not to stop practicing. The WNCL is very important ahead of the World Cup," Bashar told The Daily Star yesterday.

"We can't postpone [NWCL] since Sri Lanka A are also touring. It's not finalised yet but it has to take place in the first week of September. So, we can't postpone the WNCL," he added.

BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury was absent in the BCB offices yesterday but when contacted, he told The Daily Star that no decision has come through on the present governance of the board, "The situation is still a bit uncertain and it's still too early. It's best to observe," he said.

Plans for the men's A team's departure for Pakistan are being made, "We were set to depart today [yesterday] but that has been postponed. But in 48 hours we will make a decision," Nizamuddin added.

At around 11:00 AM, a group of organisers and club officials gathered in front of the BCB premises under the banner of 'Cricket Organisers'.

Led by former joint secretary and grounds committee chairman Rafiqul Islam Babu along with other club officials, they showed up demanding justice for prevalent irregularities and corruption in the board.

Even though the incumbent board has not been dissolved, they also talked to officials yesterday, "After coming here we saw many are absent and we didn't like that. We want the officials not to interrupt the proceedings and the tours should go on as per schedule," Rafiqul told the media yesterday.