Officials from several leading Dhaka cricket clubs have announced an open-ended boycott of all city and district competitions, insisting last week’s Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections were “illegal”.
Tamim Iqbal, who pulled out of the presidential contest shortly before polling day, stood alongside other club representatives at Wednesday’s press briefing in the capital. Masuduzzaman, the BCB councillor from Mohammedan Sporting Club, said the protest already has broad backing.
“Starting from the third-division cricket league, including the second and first-division leagues and the Premier League, all the organisers who are participating, we saw how the beauty of cricket got lost,” he told reporters. “Therefore, if you continue like this, we will not play cricket. We will also boycott cricket at the district level.
“We will all remain united in announcing that cricket will be temporarily closed. We didn’t accept the elections. We said many times that this election should not be allowed to happen. But no one listened. In our opinion, he [Aminul Islam] has conducted an illegal election.”
Hours later the re-elected BCB president Aminul Islam responded through a board statement: “The betterment of Bangladesh cricket and the well-being of those who matter most – the cricketers – are the main objectives and goals of the BCB. We are all in this together; those within the board and those outside share the same philosophy and passion.”
The standoff appears sizeable. Local reports suggest 38 clubs are ready to down tools, including seven sides from the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL): champions Abahani Limited, Mohammedan, Legends of Rupganj, Gulshan Cricket Club, Brothers Union, Partex Sporting Club and Shinepukur City Club.
Why does it matter?
The Dhaka pyramid has the DPL at its summit, underpinned by first-, second- and third-division competitions. For decades that structure has provided full-time income, match practice and a route to the national side. A prolonged shutdown would stall professional cricket across the city and leave hundreds of players without fixtures.
What triggered the row?
Tamim’s faction claim outside interference tainted the 6 October vote. Their chief grievance is a letter issued on 18 September in which Aminul asked the sports ministry to supply a fresh list of district and division councillors. Club officials argue that move upset the balance of power inside the electorate, effectively securing the incumbent’s return. Aminul’s supporters counter that he followed due process.
Analyst view
Former selector Habibul Bashar, speaking off-mic at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, felt dialogue was still possible. “If both sides sit down quickly, you can salvage the season. A boycott helps nobody,” he said.
Ex-captain Nafees Iqbal took a sterner line. “Administrative issues have plagued our domestic set-up for too long. Maybe a pause forces everyone to tidy things up,” he remarked.
Next steps
Club leaders plan to lobby the sports ministry and, if necessary, pursue legal action. The BCB, meanwhile, has begun quiet talks with player representatives, mindful that any disruption undercuts preparation for next year’s home season.
For now the ball sits in the board’s court. A compromise would keep the leagues ticking over; stalemate could bring the most significant domestic shutdown since the 1950s.
