Papon’s exit a signal of new era?

Nazmul Hassan Papon's long reign at Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) came to an end yesterday when he resigned as president of the country's most coveted sports body, paving the way for former captain Faruque Ahmed to assume the lead role.

For the past 12 years, Papon -- a lawmaker from the Bangladesh Awami League and former Managing Director of BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals -- was in the spotlight as BCB president but, unfortunately, mostly for the wrong reasons.

Papon had earned the tag of 'Mr. Interferer' during his tenure as he involved himself in all cricketing matters, undermining the independent functioning of the board's departments and committees.

PHOTO: Firoz Ahmed

His resignation predictably saw Faruque -- nominated by the National Sports Council (NSC) as one of its two new directors on the board alongside veteran coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim -- elected as the new BCB president during an emergency meeting of the board of directors at the Ministry of Youth and Sports yesterday.

"He [Nazmul Hassan Papon] has resigned as president but he still remains as a director and councillor," a board director told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

There had been uncertainty surrounding BCB's activities following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, as Nazmul and many other board directors went into hiding since then.

With the election of the new president, BCB is set to start a new chapter under ex-chief selector Faruque, who is the first to take on the role of board president as a former captain.

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Faruque sheds light on his way of operation

Faruque began his tenure yesterday with a huge task ahead, as the country's premier sport has struggled to progress in the right direction during Papon's tenure.

Bangladesh saw some sporadic success since he took charge in 2012, and he was credited with uncovering the darkest chapters of the country's sporting history, such as the franchise-based Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match-fixing scandal in 2013.

However, under his leadership, domestic cricket lost its charm and credibility, and alleged corruption further hindered the game's progress.

Papon was elected board president three times, but these elections were marred by fraud and manipulation, with no competition due to the interference of his supporters who manipulated the process to ensure their own councillorship. As a result, the board was filled with 'yes-men' who came through the influence of Papon's allies.

Over time, competitiveness in domestic leagues evaporated due to manipulation by the core group in the board. On the other hand, the first-class tournaments were far from competitive, resembling 'picnic cricket'.

Also, the cash-rich BPL, the lone domestic T20 competition, gradually lost its credibility, which adversely affected the national team's development. Moreover, BCB had never been transparent about the BPL's financial issues.

PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

While Papon had repeatedly promised after every election to implement the long-desired regional cricket associations to decentralise the game, he failed to execute these plans.

He apparently focused all his efforts on interfering with national team issues, where the new president was also a victim, while his selected group allegedly dealt with all corruption matters.

There was no accountability or transparency in the functioning of the board, which was essentially a one-man show. Under these circumstances, everyone will be watching to see whether Faruque can reform the board's activities.

There have been widespread allegations of corruption within the board, and Faruque's first duty will be to take proper measures to uncover the truth.

The new BCB boss will need to focus on domestic cricket if he wants to set things on the right track. He must create an environment where genuine organisers feel comfortable.

Faruque was most successful as a chief selector, but he is now embarking on a much bigger role. He must ensure that the right people are in the right positions and that every committee can perform its duties with freedom.

It's worth remembering that despite the presence of a number of former cricketers at BCB, their presence made hardly any difference to the progress of the game in the country.

Can Faruque make a difference now, with reform being the buzzword in the country following a historic student-led mass protest?