The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) found itself embroiled in controversy just hours after its election results were announced on Monday. The National Sports Council (NSC) swiftly removed Ishfaq Ahsan, one of the two government-appointed directors on the board, citing his political affiliations.
“We have removed Ishfaq Ahsan for his political links and will appoint a new director on Tuesday,” confirmed Kazi Nazrul Islam, the NSC’s executive director.
Sources close to the matter told ESPNcricinfo that the NSC is likely to replace Ahsan with a female board director, in an apparent move to enhance gender representation.
BCB Removes Ishfaq Ahsan
The BCB elections conducted through both physical voting and e-ballots at a Dhaka hotel — saw Aminul Islam re-elected as president. He will head several key committees, including the working committee, grounds committee, and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) committee.
Among the notable new appointments, former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud joined the board as a first-time director and will now oversee the High Performance Centre. Former spinner Abdur Razzak, also a newcomer to the board, was named chairman of the women’s wing. Meanwhile, Nazmul Abedeen continues as cricket operations chairman, Ishtiaque Sadeuque takes charge of game development, and popular singer Asif Akbar has been appointed to lead age-group cricket programs.