News
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has provisionally suspended four men – including veteran batter-keeper Amit Majumder – after charging them with a range of alleged breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. In a separate move, the board has issued a lifetime ban to Saminur Rahman, who had worked with Chattogram Royals during the 2025-26 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), for what investigators called “irrefutable evidence of long-term corrupt activities”.
“The charged participants have been provisionally suspended and have 14 days from receipt of the notices of charge to respond to the allegations,” the BCB statement read.
Who has been charged
• Amit Majumder – long-serving domestic cricketer
• Lablur Rahman – reportedly team manager, Chattogram Royals
• Rezwan Kabir Siddique – Sylhet Titans manager in the last BPL
• Towhidul Haque – co-owner, Noakhali Express (NCL T20)
The four face allegations ranging from betting on matches, failing to provide required information, deleting communications, to non-co-operation with anti-corruption officials. All offences fall under Articles 2.2.1 or 2.4.6 of the Code. Article 2.2.1 centres on betting on cricket; Article 2.4.6 deals with obstructing investigations.
Provisional suspensions took effect on Thursday. Each man can either accept the charge and negotiate a sanction or request a formal tribunal hearing.
‘Important milestone’ – Marshall
Alex Marshall, the former UK police chief who chairs the BCB integrity unit, welcomed the development in measured terms. “Today marks an important milestone in the work to protect cricket in Bangladesh,” he noted. “Four individuals have been charged with various breaches of the Anti-Corruption Code and provisionally suspended from today. The people charged have 14 days to respond. They can accept their charges and seek an agreed sanction or request a Tribunal hearing.”
Marshall added that Rahman’s exclusion – he is now classified as an “Excluded Person”, meaning he cannot take part in cricket activities anywhere – followed “match-fixing and extensive contact and money transfers with foreign bookies”.
Scope of the investigation
ESPNcricinfo understands the integrity unit’s probe covered the most recent BPL, staged in early 2026, and two National Cricket League (NCL) T20 events run since 2024. It is the first set of charges since the unit was formed in November 2025, and officials have signalled more may follow as several lines of inquiry remain open.
Majumder: experience counts against him
Majumder, 34 and in his 18th domestic season, has never featured in the BPL yet is alleged to have placed bets on both BPL and IPL matches. Investigators believe he and Rezwan shared information, then used separate platforms to place those wagers. The code treats any player bet, even on competitions in which he is not involved, as a serious breach.
Sylhet Titans quietly removed Rezwan from his managerial role once contacted by BCB investigators midway through the last BPL. The franchise has declined public comment.
Owners and managers in the spotlight
Towhidul Haque, a co-owner of Noakhali Express in the NCL T20, and Lablur Rahman, linked with Chattogram Royals, are both charged with failing to comply with official requests. That includes an allegation of deleting WhatsApp chats after formal demand notices had been issued – a direct breach of Article 4.3, which obliges participants to preserve all potentially relevant material.
Industry reaction
Most local officials have, so far, praised the integrity unit for acting swiftly. A senior BPL administrator told this writer on condition of anonymity that the action “sends the right message”, though he cautioned that the board must now “follow through with transparent hearings”.
Players’ association representative Tamim Iqbal said the outcome would be watched closely by professionals across the domestic circuit. “The rules are there for everyone – player, coach, owner – so consistency is vital,” he said during a short phone interview. Tamim is not connected to the case but has previously supported the formation of the integrity unit.
What happens next
The four charged men must respond by the middle of the month. If they contest, an independent tribunal, normally made up of legal and cricketing figures, will be convened. A guilty finding can lead to a range of sanctions, from a reprimand to a lengthy ban and financial penalty.
For Rahman, the door to cricket has already been shut for good. Under current regulations, an Excluded Person cannot even attend matches in an official capacity, let alone work for a team.
Broader picture
While corruption scandals seldom attract the same glare as on-field heroics, the BCB appears determined to address the issue before it gets out of hand. The board has increased the number of integrity officers at domestic venues, mandated pre-tournament briefings for players and support staff, and launched an anonymous reporting app – moves seen as aligning Bangladesh with best practice elsewhere.
There is, however, no illusion the job is done. “The unit is currently investigating a number of other cases and further charges are likely in the coming weeks and months,” Marshall warned.
For the moment, the spotlight rests on four men who have a fortnight to fight or fold, and on the integrity unit looking to prove it can walk the talk.
