Faruque Ahmed appointed new BCB president as Nazmul Hassan steps down after 12 years in charge
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) witnesses a new leader at the helm after former player Faruque Ahmed was appointed as the governing body's president. Nazmul Hassan, who held the post for 12 years, handed in his resignation following the political turmoil in the country.
The recent riots in Bangladesh stemming from the disdain against the reservation system escalated, leading to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation and departure from the country. Nazmul Hassan also left the country due to his political ties with the former government. He has been a member of the parliament since 2009.
Faruque Ahmed's appointment was finalized after a board meeting on August 21 in Dhaka after being nominated by the National Sports Committee (NOC) as a director along with Nazmul Abedeen Faheem. This comes shortly after Jalal Yunus stepped down as director, while Ahmed Sajjadul Alam was sacked.
The board meeting, however, comprised of only limited directors as the majority of them fled Dhaka following the fall of the government. The directors who attended the meeting were informed of Nazmul Hassan's resignation by BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, resulting in the appointment of a successor.
Faruque Ahmed is the first BCB president to have played competitive cricket
Faruque Ahmed has represented Bangladesh in seven ODI from 1988 to 1999, while his cousin Shahriar Nafees also played for the nation in 100 matches across three formats. The new BCB president has also served as the chief selector of the Bangladesh men's team over two different terms. His first stint was a four-year period from 2003 to 2007, and was re-appointed in 2013 before handing his resignation in 2016.
Faruque Ahmed will have the task of stabilize the cricketing scheme of things amid the shaky period. The Bangladesh cricket team are currently in Pakistan for a two-match Test series, following which they will tour India.
The ongoing crisis in Bangladesh has cost them the opportunity to host an ICC event. The subcontinent nation was assigned to conduct the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup, but the tournament has now been shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).