Dhaka: The crisis within Bangladesh cricket has reached a boiling point as the country’s cricketers have issued a stern ultimatum: if Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director M Nazmul Islam does not resign by 1:00 PM on Thursday, players will boycott all forms of cricket immediately. The announcement was made on Wednesday night by Mohammad Mithun, President of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), during a press conference held via Zoom.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the players’ revolt stems from a series of inflammatory comments made by Nazmul Islam, who also serves as the Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee. Tensions flared after Nazmul recently labeled former captain Tamim Iqbal an ‘Indian agent’ in a Facebook post. The situation deteriorated further when Nazmul made disparaging remarks regarding player compensation in the event of a World Cup boycott.

Nazmul questioned the value of the players, stating, “If they go (to the World Cup) and achieve nothing, do we ask for the
crores of taka we spent on them back?” This was followed by a provocative remark about the existence of cricketers without the board. These comments have exacerbated the tensions between the board and the players.

CWAB President Mithun expressed the frustrations of the players, noting that the language used by Nazmul was unacceptable and hurtful to the cricket community. Mithun declared that if Nazmul does not step down before the start of tomorrow’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, the players will go on strike. The ultimatum poses a significant threat to the 12th edition of the BPL, with matches scheduled for tomorrow.

In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the BCB issued a press release stating that the personal comments of any director do not reflect the board’s official stance. The board expressed regret for any hurt caused by recent statements, but the press release seems to have done little to appease the players.