Sports Desk:

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal called out the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over how they handled Towhid Hridoy’s suspension issue and also spoke about a few issues that have ‘upset’ the cricketers after a meeting with the board president in Mirpur on Friday.

National team and List-A cricketers of Bangladesh gathered at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and sat down with BCB president Faruque Ahmed in the afternoon to discuss a few issues that have occurred in the last few months.

After the meeting, Tamim addressed the media, where he said the chaotic situation ensuing from Mohammedan Sporting Club’s Hridoy’s suspension scenario in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) was the main matter of discussion on Friday.

“The reason we have gathered here is because in the last two to four months, some incidents have taken place which have hurt each and every player,” Tamim told the media on Friday.

“Firstly, there is the issue of Towhid Hridoy. There was an on-field issue involving him and he was suspended for two matches. None of the players said anything about it. Umpires and the match referee suspended him. Personally, we may feel that the decision was harsh but we did not say anything about it.

“After a few days we saw that the suspension was reduced from two to one match by the BCB. At that time too, we said nothing. Hridoy then didn’t play one match and then played the next two. So basically, he had already served the punishment that was handed to him. After him having played two matches, we heard on Thursday that he has been suspended again. I don’t know according to which rule it was done. We were very concerned by it. It’s very funny because how can you suspend a guy again after he had already served his suspension and was allowed to play two games by the BCB. How can you suspend him again?” Tamim added.

Tamim also spoke about how the BCB’s ACU publicly undertook the investigation into match-fixing allegations in the DPL match between Gulshan Cricket Club and Shinepukur. He also pointed out that it was “insulting” how the ACU leaked the names of 10 cricketers who were under investigation for match-fixing allegations in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on the basis of mere suspicion.

Tamim, who was captaining Mohammedan before suffering a heart attack during a match which ruled him out for the season, also informed that during the meeting, they have asked BCB to resolve Hridoy’s issue quickly.

“We have raised these issues and told him [BCB president] that we are upset. We have asked them to take the decision quickly [over Towhid’s suspension] since there is a match tomorrow. I am certain they will give a decision quickly.”