Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan Papon is mulling to cut short his tenure in the board and complete it by 2024 and if that is not possible, he will step down after completing his ongoing term that runs until October 2025.
Nazmul, who became the BCB boss for the first time in 2012 and was later re-elected for the post twice, didn’t have to contest the elections in 2013 and 2017 as his panel stood unopposed.
However, most recently, he had decided against a panel and hence had to go through the rigours of an election and later took the helm of the board to complete the present tenure.
Nazmul, who was elected member of the parliament last week, was given the responsibility of the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Thursday (Jan 12.
“The first thing is that there is no relationship between getting ministry and leaving from the post of BCB because earlier there were several ministers who also fulfilled the roles. It is also there abroad and so that is not the issue,” Nazmul told reporters at the Bangabhaban.
“I was planning that this will be my last term and the term runs until next year. But I will try to see if I can end the term by this year,” he said.
“There are some rules and regulations in the ICC and I’m also in some of their committees while also the chairman (in some committees) and they don’t like to change that.
“You have seen that in Sri Lanka and they have to complete their term. I would be leaving (BCB) anyhow in the coming year and now I will see if I can end it this year,” he added.
Nazmul, however, will have to quit his managing director position at Beximco Pharma as the constitution states that a minister cannot be involved in any profitable venture.
Meanwhile, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that there is no basis for speculation that suggests either Mashrafe bin Mortaza or Shakib Al Hasan, the two elected members of the parliament, might replace Nazmul if he steps down.
“The information (Shakib and Mashrafe can become BCB president in the present board) is completely wrong and not close to reality,” said Nizamuddin.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board president position is an elected position, unlike the past when it was nominated by the government. The BCB is guided by the ICC constitution and according to the ICC constitution, there can’t be any government interference and the cricket board president needs to be in an electoral position. Taking that into consideration we had to change the constitution and make the president position as elected,” he said.
“According to the cricket board’s present structure, the cricket board president must be a cricket board director and if someone wants to be director, he needs to be a councillor first,” he said.
“A director is elected during the general council and later the directors elect the president. Taking everything into consideration, I don’t see any way someone can replace our board president like it is coming out on different social platforms,” he concluded.
BDST: 1021 HRS, JAN 13, 2024
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