BCB issues show-cause to Najmul, but players seem set to continue boycott

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today informed that it has issued a show-cause letter to its director, M Najmul Islam, who made derogatory comments about cricketers last night, and the board hoped that players would ensure the “smooth continuity” of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) as cricketers threatened to boycott all forms of cricket unless the board director resigned.

“As a constitutional body, the BCB is duty-bound to address such matters strictly in accordance with its established rules, regulations, and professional guidelines. In line with this responsibility, the Board has already initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against the Board member concerned. A show-cause letter has been issued, and the individual has been instructed to submit a written response within 48 hours. The matter will be dealt with through due process, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the proceedings.

“The BCB firmly believes that the players are the main stakeholders and the lifeblood of the BPL and of all cricketing activities under the Board. The Board sincerely hopes that the cricketers will continue to demonstrate their professionalism and commitment by supporting the successful completion of the tournament and ensuring the smooth continuity of the BPL 2026,” a BCB-issued press release read.

The rest of the BPL matches face serious uncertainty following controversial remarks by BCB director Najmul, with players issuing an ultimatum demanding his resignation yesterday.

The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) on Thursday night reiterated their hardline stance at a press conference, announcing that players would refrain from all forms of cricket if Najmul failed to resign before today’s scheduled BPL matches. With no resignation forthcoming, the impasse remains unresolved.

Chattogram Royals are scheduled to face Noakhali Express at Mirpur at 1:00pm today, but uncertainty continues to surround the fixture, as players had not turned up to the venue for the game even around an hour before the start time.

With Mohammad Mithun, president of CWAB, calling a press meet at 1:00pm today, it seems the players have made up their minds to continue their boycott. 

The controversy stems from comments made by Najmul on Wednesday evening at Mirpur, where he said that the board owes no compensation to players if Bangladesh miss the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, set to begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, arguing that the BCB has never sought refunds from cricketers after poor performances at global events.

“The question [of compensation] does not even arise. We have invested so much on them, they haven’t been able to achieve anything, anywhere. Have we won a single global trophy till now? Then we could’ve said every time, you have failed to perform, whatever we have spent on you, now we will take it back. Return it to us,” Najmul said.

Najmul had also drawn widespread criticism earlier for referring to former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal as an “Indian agent” on social media. Current national team players Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Taskin Ahmed publicly protested against the derogatory remarks.