Tamim Iqbal has not been in the president’s chair for long, yet his priority is already clear. Top of the in-tray – perhaps scribbled in red ink – is a purpose-built High-Performance Centre on the outskirts of Dhaka. The former Bangladesh captain started sketching the idea in April, when the government asked him to head an ad-hoc committee. Now, with full presidential authority, he wants diggers in the ground at Purbachal.
“The High Performance Center is probably my biggest dream,” Tamim said. “I hope that I can fulfill this dream. We will need big support from the government. Initially the BCB can fund this center. We have asked the company that designed the existing centre for a re-design. We hope that we can start the centre in Purbachal. As you can imagine, such a large-scale project requires a lot of money. We will definitely seek the government’s support in that regard. I have met the country’s finance minister about it, he was very positive about the project so now we have to apply to the government.”
At present the High-Performance operation squeezes into the back corner of Shere Bangla National Stadium – a couple of indoor lanes, one outdoor net, a tired gym. Useful, sure, but hardly the environment that moulds world-class players. Tamim is thinking bigger: several turf wickets, modern fitness suites, sports-science labs, maybe even dormitories for out-station players. In theory, it would serve everyone from Under-19 prospects to senior pros returning from injury. The sort of place where a young quick can spend all day honing the yorker and, crucially, recover properly afterwards.
Money remains the sticking point. A full complex of that scale is measured in millions, not lakh. Tamim’s recent conversation with the finance minister was “very positive”, though verbal support still has to turn into a line item in the next budget. One board director admitted, quietly, that land-acquisition alone could drag.
While the bricks-and-mortar plan grabs headlines, Tamim is equally concerned about the wider image of Bangladesh cricket after a messy 12 months: the missed T20 World Cup, a player-media standoff, assorted boardroom leaks.
“The players need to be respected as much as possible – not just current cricketers, but former cricketers too,” he noted. “Every stakeholder in Bangladesh cricket will be respected. It was maybe lacking in the BCB in the last one and a half years. We have to come together and fix this damaged reputation of Bangladesh cricket.”
Transparency is another promise. “I want to ensure maximum transparency. I am sure that all of us at the board are not going to do anything controversial. We want to work with full honesty. I am sure we will make mistakes, but I look forward to seeing how quickly we rectify those mistakes.”
Privately, some observers wonder if batting against fast bowling for 15 years is adequate preparation for navigating tenders, audits and government red tape. Tamim sounds aware of that leap. “There is no extra feeling that I have become something really big. It is a massive responsibility. I have spoken about so many things about the cricket board for the last few years, so now I feel that this is the time when I have to prove myself to everyone.”
The next few months could be instructive. If land in Purbachal is secured and architects are busy before the monsoon, sceptics will quieten. If not, the new president may discover that board politics turns wider, slower and more unpredictable than any outswinger he faced with the new ball.
