UNB, Dhaka

Amidst concerns over facing possible public anger for his role in the student-led protests that ousted Bangladesh’s iron-fisted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan said he is not coming home to play a Test match in Dhaka, which he said his last match in the format.

This made the last Test of the series between India and Bangladesh in Kanpur the last Test of Shakib’s career.

Before that match in Kanpur, Shakib announced his retirement from the longest format of international cricket and expressed his desire to play his last Test in front of the home crowd in Dhaka. But this wish is about to remain unfulfilled.

In an interview with bdnews24 from Dubai, Shakib—on a transit stop during his journey back—addressed his change of plans.

“I was supposed to return home, but now I might not be able to do so due to security issues, for my own safety,” he said.

It’s clear that Shakib was forced to cancel his plan due to ongoing protests about his homecoming. A group of protesting students burned his effigy on Wednesday at the University of Dhaka. Another group planned to submit a letter to BCB urging them to prevent Shakib from entering the stadium.

Shakib’s silence during the student-led protest against the Sheikh Hasina government led to this situation. The toppled administration led by Sheikh Hasina tried to quell the protest using deadly weapons that eventually left at least 1000 killed.

Despite being one of the most celebrated cricketers in Bangladesh’s history, Shakib was silent during the protests, which triggered an angry reaction from the protesting students, who expected Shakib to stand by them. But Shakib, who was also a member of the Awami League government, posted his happy pictures on social media during the protests, which fueled the anger against him.

When Shakib announced his retirement in Kanpur, he also expressed concerns about his safety if he returned home. He urged the board to ensure his safety during his stay in Dhaka. But the board and the sports ministry reacted in tough words. The sports ministry was led by a student leader, Asif Mahmud, who was among the top organizers of the porters. He is one of the two student leaders who were appointed as advisers in the current interim government.

Later, the sports adviser said they would ensure security for Shakib when he returned home. However, the government changed its stance in reaction to the ongoing protests against Shakib.

A high-ranking government official confirmed Wednesday night that Shakib was advised to forgo his plan to return due to the current political climate. This situation suggests that Shakib’s Test career may now have reached an unofficial end.