Bangladesh cricketers have threatened to boycott all forms of cricket unless Bangladesh Cricket Board (PCB) director M Nazmul Islam resigns.
Bangladesh Cricketers Welfare Association (CWAB) president Mohammad Mithun made the announcement hours after Nazmul Islam’s comments sparked widespread outrage on Wednesday.
The development comes as two Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches are scheduled to be held on January 15.
In response to the controversy, the Bangladesh Cricket Board distanced itself from Islam’s comments and expressed regret in an official statement.
“The board expresses its sincere regret for inappropriate, hurtful or hurtful comments,” the statement said. “Such comments do not reflect the values, principles or official position of the Bangladesh Cricket Board and are inconsistent with the standards of conduct expected of individuals entrusted with the responsibility of serving Bangladesh cricket.”
The BCB further clarified that it does not endorse statements by board officials unless issued through authorized channels.
BCB reiterates that it cannot endorse or take responsibility for any statement made by any director or board member unless duly released by the Board’s designated spokesperson or the Media and Communications Department. Any statement made outside these authorized channels is of a personal nature and should not be construed as representing the views or policies of the Board,” it added.
The board warned that action would be taken against any person who disrespects the cricketers or harms the integrity of Bangladesh cricket.
The statement reaffirmed full support to all players, past and present, emphasizing that cricketers in the country are at the heart of the game.
Nazmul Islam came under fire after accusing Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent” in a Facebook post.
The comments followed Tamim’s recent interview in which he urged the PCB to prioritize cricketing interests before taking a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Tamim’s comments came after the BCB decided to travel to India, citing security reasons, following a request by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL squad.
Nazmul’s Facebook post sparked widespread backlash, with screenshots circulating on social media.
In the post, he wrote: “This time, the people of Bangladesh saw with their own eyes the emergence of another proven Indian agent.”
The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh strongly condemned the comments, calling them “totally unacceptable” and demanding a public apology from the BCB director.
“We are shocked and outraged by PCB director M Nazmul Islam’s comments about former national captain Tamim Iqbal,” CWAB said in a statement. Such a comment about the most successful opener in the history of Bangladesh who served the country for 16 years is reprehensible.
The CWAB described the charges as an insult to the entire cricket community and questioned the professionalism and conduct of the board officials.
The association confirmed that it has submitted a letter of protest to the BCB president demanding accountability and a public apology.
Many Bangladeshi cricketers took to social media to express their displeasure. Spinner Taijul Islam termed the comments demanding a public apology and accountability as “tasteless and totally unacceptable”.
Former captain Mominul Haq described the comments as an insult to the Bangladeshi cricket community, while fast bowler Taskin Ahmed insisted that such statements do not help the game move forward and officials should act responsibly.
Later on Friday, Nazmul Islam posted a clarification on Facebook saying that his comments reflect his personal opinion.
“A legendary cricketer who has scored 15,000 international runs for Bangladesh is now batting for India. This is purely my personal opinion. Please do not take this opinion in any other way,” he wrote.