After Nazmul Hasan Papon stepped down in August last year, Faruk Ahmed became the new president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). However, he does not want this to be his final term in the role. In a recent interview, Faruk Ahmed confirmed that he will be contesting in the upcoming BCB elections.
He stated that a specific reason has prompted his decision. According to him, certain groups within the board are continuously trying to hold him back. This decision to contest is a response to those efforts.
As per the schedule, the next BCB election is set to take place in October. However, the president has the authority to call the election earlier if he wishes. Observing the situation, that seems unlikely.
So, will the current BCB president run in the elections on time? In a recent interview, he clarified the matter:
“I will contest in the October election. There are quarters in the cricket board involved in corruption who are still trying to suppress me. For them, the easiest way is to write a couple of columns against Faruk Bhai, make up a few lies, and defame me—hoping I would resign and walk away.”
Faruk also said that the development of the country’s cricket is his sole agenda. Therefore, he believes stepping aside in the face of opposition will not solve the problems of Bangladesh cricket. Instead, he must fight and endure.
However, under Faruk Ahmed’s leadership, the BCB has faced several criticisms. One of them is the disorganization in the BPL (Bangladesh Premier League). Additionally, the performance graph of on-field cricket has also been on a decline.
Previously, in a statement requesting media outlets to refrain from publishing misleading reports, the BCB said:
“BCB is committed to maintaining the highest standards of financial practices and welcomes investigations and reviews based on genuine and factual sources. At the same time, the Board respectfully requests the media to avoid publishing baseless or inaccurate reports that could harm the image of Bangladesh cricket or the individuals dedicated to serving it.”
