Faruque becomes BCB president

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) named ex-skipper Faruque Ahmed Wednesday as president after the resignation of Nazmul Hassan, a close ally of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, report agencies.

Cricket and politics go hand-in-hand in Bangladesh, and the sport has been hit by the turmoil that has wracked the country.

Nazmul, who also served as sports minister during Hasina's 15-year autocratic rule, wrote to the BCB to resign, board chief executive officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury told the news agency.

"His wish was granted," he said.

More than 450 people were killed during a month of student-led protests against Hasina's rule, before she quit as prime minister on August 5 and fled the country.

Chowdhury said Faruque was elected by the board's directors and "took charge immediately".

Nazmul had been BCB president since 2012, serving multiple terms, with his last tenure scheduled to end in 2025.

New president Faruque briefly captained Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy in Kenya and played seven one-day internationals.

He retired from the national team after the World Cup in 1999.

He also held the position of national chief selector between 2005 and 2014.

Meanwhile, after spending over two decades as a cricketer and nearly a decade as a selector for the BCB, Faruque Ahmed has returned to the board as its new president.

Shortly after his appointment, Faruque addressed the media, emphasising that his top priority is to instill accountability within the board, which has been marred by allegations of corruption and arbitrariness over the past decade.

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in the face of a historic mass uprising, Bangladesh is undergoing rapid changes, and this shift has reached the BCB too.

"This is my proudest moment," he said, reflecting on his appointment as BCB president and his past as a cricketer and national team captain. "Our country has immense potential, and I will do my utmost to achieve it." Just days ago, Faruque could not have envisioned stepping into this role. But when a black Mercedes-Benz arrived at the BCB on Wednesday afternoon with him inside, it marked the moment he became the most influential figure in Bangladesh cricket-a sport deeply cherished by the nation of 170 million people.

"I want to create a system where those things will not happen again," he said, addressing the irregularities of the previous board. He also noted that he had resigned from his post as chief selector years ago due to what he called a faulty system.

"I want to take steps to reform the constitution so that we can better serve those who love the game of cricket," he stated in front of a packed audience at the BCB press conference area. The turnout was so large that nearly more journalists were left standing than seated.

As anticipated, he reiterated familiar promises-addressing allegations of corruption, reassessing the roles of directors from the previous administration, and ensuring accountability from all employees, including former captains who have often fallen short of expectations.

"We want to ensure that our actions speak louder than our words," he said, his voice firm and unwavering, instilling confidence among the audience.

The former president, Nazmul Hasan Papon, frequently asserted his influence over team selections and publicly analyzed the team's performance despite not being known as a person with enough technical expertise in cricket. Faruque promised he would not interfere in team selection.

"I will give the selectors maximum freedom," he said, though he also indicated he might occasionally offer his opinions on team selections. He cited Rishad Hossain as an example, suggesting he would be an excellent choice for the longer format of the game.

"But I won't make my suggestion obvious to the selectors," he added for clarification.

Previously, Faruque had expressed disapproval of Chandika Hathurusingha's role as Bangladesh's head coach. Addressing this in his first press meeting as president, Faruque reaffirmed his earlier opinion, creating a challenging environment for Chandika.

"We need to discuss this with the board," Faruque said regarding Chandika's future, making it clear he will not be the sole decision-maker on important matters, which is also a clear shift from the previous administration and reflects broader changes likely occurring across sectors in Bangladesh.