Dhaka, 15 January (H.S.): Bangladeshi cricketers on Thursday opened an unprecedented front against Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M. Nazmul Islam, demanding his resignation by early afternoon over his repeated controversial remarks on India and national players, and warning that all cricket activities will be suspended if he refuses to step down.
The move, described as a decisive stand by the players, has turned today into a critical day for the future of Bangladesh cricket, with their anger now openly directed at a sitting board director.
According to Bangladesh Cricketers’ Organisation (COAB) president and senior player Mohammad Mithun, the decision has been taken in protest against Nazmul Islam’s statements targeting national cricketers.
Referring to an emergency online press conference held on Wednesday by the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), Mithun stated that Nazmul’s comments have crossed all limits of tolerance and can no longer be ignored. He made it clear that Nazmul must resign before the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match scheduled for 1:00 pm on Thursday, failing which players will boycott and bring all cricket activities across the country to a halt.
The immediate trigger was Nazmul Islam’s recent remark on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where he said that even if Bangladesh did not participate, the financial loss would fall solely on the players and not on the board, and that the board would not compensate them. He further asserted that in deciding whether Bangladesh would take part in the T20 World Cup, the BCB would give primacy to “supreme national interest” and player safety.
CWAB termed these comments demoralising and deeply disrespectful, with Mithun stressing that repeated silence from players had been mistaken for weakness and that their resentment had been simmering for months.The current crisis traces back to the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, after which the BCB reportedly pressed the ICC to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India and host them in Sri Lanka instead.
The ICC rejected the request, citing the impracticality of altering venues at such short notice. Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal had then advised the board to respond responsibly rather than reactively, reminding that a significant portion of BCB’s revenue comes from the International Cricket Council.
In response, Nazmul allegedly posted on Facebook, branding Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” and claiming the country had “seen yet another proven Indian agent emerge,” remarks that triggered outrage across the Bangladeshi cricket fraternity.
Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed said such comments were harmful to the progress of Bangladesh cricket, while spinner Taijul Islam described the language used against Tamim as “completely unacceptable” and demanded a public apology and accountability.
Former Test captain Mominul Haque called the statement an insult to the entire cricket community of the country.A few hours later, Nazmul issued another Facebook post, claiming the remark reflected his personal opinion and should not be interpreted otherwise.
However, this clarification failed to calm tempers, with players insisting that the issue has now moved beyond individual sentiment to institutional credibility. With the ultimatum clock ticking towards the BPL fixture, Bangladesh cricket stands at a crossroads, with the possibility of a full-scale players’ boycott looming large if their demand for Nazmul Islam’s resignation is not met.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
