Asif Nazrul decided against World Cup participation, BCB backed it: Probe report

A committee formed by the National Sports Council has held former Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul responsible for the decision not to send Bangladesh to the last T20 World Cup. The 22-page report says that although the Ministry of Youth and Sports informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of the decision, the board did not raise any objection.

The investigation report was released at the National Sports Council on Tuesday (September 15). The committee was formed in March to investigate why Bangladesh did not participate in the World Cup. The three-member committee was headed by Dr AKM Oli Ullah, additional secretary (Administration Wing) of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Its other members were Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Faisal Dastgir and former national captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar.

At a press conference held at the National Sports Council following the release of the report, committee member Barrister Faisal Dastgir said they held discussions with relevant individuals and reviewed various information, including media reports, before concluding that former Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul was responsible for Bangladesh's decision not to participate in the World Cup. He said the government at the time was also responsible for the decision.

Faisal Dastgir said the Ministry of Youth and Sports had sent a letter to the BCB informing it of the decision not to participate in the World Cup. The BCB did not disagree with the decision. On behalf of the investigation committee, he said Bangladesh should have participated in the T20 World Cup.

The report says the committee interviewed a total of 12 people. Among the cricketers were T20 captain Litton Kumar Das and Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Those interviewed from the cricket fraternity included former captain and current BCB president Tamim Iqbal Khan; former BCB general secretary and former Asian Cricket Council general secretary Syed Ashraful Haque; BCB Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury; national team coach and then senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin; and then BCB director and head of the Cricket Operations Department Nazmul Abedin.

The committee also spoke with Youth and Sports Secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam. Among media representatives, interviews were conducted with Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association President Arifur Rahman Babu, General Secretary SM Sumon, and Bangladesh Sports Press Association President Redwanuzzaman and General Secretary Sudipto Ahmed. The report also includes summaries of the statements given by those interviewed.