Will Shakib Al Hasan & Mashrafe Mortaza Return To Bangladesh: With the change of government in Bangladesh, the environment of cricket has also started changing. Just hours after the swearing-in of the Tariq Rahman-led BNP government, the new Sports Minister Aminul Haq has given a clear indication that he wants to see legendary all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and former captain Mashrafe Mortaza once again in the mainstream of Bangladeshi cricket. This step is being considered a big initiative towards ending the political and sports tension that has been going on for the last few months.
New strategy different from the strict attitude of Yunus government
During the interim government led by Mohammad Younis, a strict attitude was adopted towards Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza. The then sports advisor Asif Mahmood had even said that those whose hands were stained with people’s blood would not be allowed to wear the national jersey. However, Aminul Haq has said that he wants early resolution of the murder and corruption cases registered against these veterans at the state level, so that the path for their return to the country can be cleared.
Trying to keep sports and politics separate
Sports Minister Aminul Haq, himself a former Bangladeshi football captain, has stressed on keeping sports and politics separate. BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul has also clarified that whether a player will remain in the team or not should depend on his form and not his politics. This statement puts an end to the speculations that these players’ careers were completely over due to their association with the Awami League.
Bangladesh Cricket Board keeping an eye on the future
There is currently an atmosphere of turmoil within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Amidst the resignation of several directors and infighting, the Sports Minister has termed the previous elections of the board as suspicious. He has indicated that he will soon hold a meeting with the board officials, so that the administrative shortcomings can be removed.
