Can't let cricket decline under my watch: Asif

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan has stated that the recent leadership change at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was purely performance-driven and intended to arrest the steady decline of cricket in the country.

“I can’t let cricket decline under my watch,” Bhuiyan said during a media interaction at the National Handball Championship on Saturday. “We had certain expectations from the BCB, but those were not fully realized.”

Bhuiyan said that although Bangladesh had achieved a historic Test series victory in Pakistan under the leadership of former BCB President Faruque Ahmed, the national team’s performance deteriorated sharply afterward.

“I have personally spoken with Faruque Bhai. His removal was not due to any corruption allegations. It was entirely based on performance,” the adviser clarified. “In cricket, if you keep underperforming, the selection committee won’t keep you. It was a similar situation here. I also consulted with various cricket stakeholders before this decision was made.”

The decline prompted eight of the nine current BCB directors to formally submit a letter of no-confidence to the National Sports Council (NSC), demanding Faruque Ahmed’s removal. As a result, his nomination as a BCB director was withdrawn by the NSC, which led to his exit as president.

Aminul Islam Bulbul, a former Bangladesh captain and respected ICC official, has now been elected as the new BCB president.

“As per the BCB constitution, the NSC can nominate two directors. We did not remove any president directly — we simply withdrew a nomination. The board then followed due process and elected a new president in line with ICC guidelines,” Bhuiyan explained.

He also addressed concerns about potential sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC), stating that the global body had been kept fully informed.

“There has been transparent communication with the ICC. They are aware of the current state of Bangladesh cricket and have welcomed the new leadership. There’s no talk of a ban,” he said.

The adviser further noted that several issues — including administrative inefficiency and poor decisions regarding the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) — contributed to Faruque Ahmed’s exit.

“One major embarrassment was the financial issues surrounding the Durbar Rajshahi franchise,” he said. “Despite their poor track record, they were allowed to participate in the BPL. Eventually, the government had to step in to cover player salaries and hotel bills — a situation that should never have occurred.”

Bhuiyan reiterated that the decision was made in the national interest and not due to any personal bias or political interference.

“I don’t personally know either Aminul Islam Bulbul Bhai or Faruque Bhai. The decision was based entirely on consultations with those directly involved in cricket. We brought in Faruque Ahmed with high hopes, but when things didn’t work out, we reassessed and acted accordingly,” he said.

“Bangladesh cricket is in a downward spiral — that’s a national concern. The leadership change is an attempt to reverse that trend and bring our cricket back on track.”

He concluded by dismissing claims of undue government involvement: “There is no government interference here. The NSC acted within its constitutional rights. The process has been clean, and the ICC has appreciated our efforts.”