Rubaba Dowla becomes second woman appointed as BCB director

Renowned corporate figure Rubaba Dowla has been appointed as a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the National Sports Council (NSC) confirmed on Monday.

Rubaba is only the second woman in BCB's history to serve as a board director, following Monowara Anis Minu, who held the position in 2007. She is expected to attend today's board meeting as the newly appointed NSC-nominated director.

She replaces Isfak Ahsan, who resigned from his post, according to an official NSC notice.

Isfak had been one of the two NSC-nominated directors — alongside Yasir Mohammad Faysal Ashik — announced following the BCB board of directors' election held at a city hotel on October 6.

However, controversy emerged soon after Isfak's nomination when reports surfaced linking him to the ousted Awami League. Further scrutiny revealed that he had sought party nomination from the ruling Awami League in the last national election for the Chandpur-2 constituency.

While it was initially reported that the NSC removed Isfak shortly after his appointment, the council later clarified on Monday that he had voluntarily stepped down, prompting Rubaba's nomination as his replacement.

Currently the Country Managing Director for Oracle Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, Rubaba brings decades of leadership experience from her previous executive roles at Grameenphone and Airtel.

In addition to her corporate career, Rubaba has an active background in sports administration. She served as president of the Bangladesh Badminton Federation (2009–2015) and remains a board member of Special Olympics Bangladesh.