Bangladesh cricket has been plunged into turmoil after senior players threatened to boycott matches following controversial remarks made by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director and Finance Committee chairman M. Nazmul Islam.
The comments, which the BCB has since distanced itself from, have sparked outrage among cricketers and raised fears of disruption to the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Nazmul’s remarks were made on the sidelines of a BCB prayer meeting for the late former prime minister Khaled Zia and came amid continuing fallout from Bangladesh’s decision not to play matches in India during the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The ICC tournament is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, but the BCB has cited security concerns in refusing to travel to India, a stance taken after the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of IPL 2026.
When asked about the financial impact if Bangladesh were to miss the T20 World Cup altogether, Nazmul claimed the board would not suffer any loss and that only players would be affected.
He added that there would be no compensation for cricketers, questioning their performances and suggesting the board had spent heavily without seeing adequate returns. His comments were widely viewed as disrespectful and dismissive of players’ contributions.
The Bangladesh Cricketers’ Welfare Association (BCWA) reacted strongly, warning of a boycott that could affect at least two scheduled BPL matches.
BCWA president Mohammad Mithun said the remarks undermined players’ dignity and were unacceptable. The association has demanded Nazmul Islam’s resignation, stating that continued silence from the board would only deepen the crisis.
This controversy follows another recent incident involving Nazmul, who earlier referred to former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal as an “Indian agent” after Tamim called for dialogue between the BCB, ICC, and BCCI to resolve the T20 World Cup venue issue.
Tamim had urged the board to carefully consider the long-term interests of Bangladesh cricket before making decisions that could isolate the team.
In response to the backlash, the BCB released an official statement expressing regret over the remarks and clarifying that Nazmul’s views were personal and not reflective of the board’s stance.
The board reiterated that only statements issued through authorised channels represent its official position and warned that disciplinary action could be taken against individuals whose comments harm players or damage Bangladesh cricket’s reputation.
With tensions escalating and boycott threats looming, Bangladesh cricket faces a critical moment as administrators scramble to prevent further fallout and restore trust between players and the board.
