The subject of whether Tamim Iqbal missed a trick has been the focus of considerable discussion since the contentious Bangladesh Cricket Board election, in which Aminul Islam was re-elected with no opposition because of the government’s support. As anticipated, the election’s many turns turned it into a political spectacle. Iqbal scarcely displayed the patience needed to be a successful administrator.
A journalist’s question about whether organiser Rafiqul Islam Babu, who was on the dais with the left-handed batter during the boycott announcement on Wednesday (October 8), could explain his stance—that he had been with Tamim Iqbal throughout his journey but switched sides the day Iqbal withdrew from the election, claiming government meddling—became even more pertinent when the BCB election commission rejected the accusation.
When Tamim Iqbal was asked the question, his smile said louder than words could. Another concern that was brought up was whether Iqbal had the correct personnel in his immediate vicinity when he planned his transition into government.
He was preparing his campaign with the same people on the dais, according to many in the cricket community. It was a catastrophic error, they contend, because people didn’t like that he met with several groups instead of uniting them in a single election camp.
When he was joined in the contest by the son of a leader of the BNP, the nation’s primary opposition party, things became more tricky. This only served to strengthen the idea that Iqbal spoke for particular political factions rather than the entire cricketing community.
Past national figures like Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, and Naimur Rahman also suffered from a similar error: they were perceived as supporting political parties rather than the nation as a whole. According to BNP officials, their decision to choose Tamim Iqbal as their candidate backfired since the government’s actions to make room for Aminul outdistanced them.
Eventually, after 15 clubs were denied the ability to vote, Tamim Iqbal and others decided to withdraw from the election rather than wait until a court decision restored those clubs’ voting rights on September 5.
After the court judgement, Asif Mahmud, Bangladesh’s sports advisor and the man generally believed to be responsible for the election rigging, wrote on his official Facebook page that Tamim Iqbal had made a mistake.
Today is the BCB election, which the ministry and BCB were able to hold in accordance with the constitution after several challenges. Even though the 15 clubs were the subject of much controversy, the court restored their voting rights. Asif wrote on September 6 that “the election could have been nicer after the first verdict if the nominees had not withdrawn in a hurry like an amateur, but later when they realised their mistake it was too late.”
Tamim Iqbal was asked if he thought he had missed the bus by leaving before the court’s decision at a DOCCA press conference. The former captain of the national team turned down the proposal.
There are many council members here, so I’m sure you all have opinions about me. Do you truly believe that the 15 clubs will remain in place? If I ran for office, I doubt anyone would support me. For me, there was never a choice between riding the bus (election) or not. “What was important to me was that everyone should have a fair election, and that is the stance I have taken,” Tamim Iqbal stated.
I have no doubt that I could have passed easily if I had run independently, regardless of whose side was supporting or opposing me. You can ask him if my name was on the ballot and if he would have voted for me or not, but I think he stated (pointing to an independent candidate) that he does not have a quorum. If I had contested myself, I would have won with ease. I was certain that even with this quorum, I could have passed because I had no problems with my team or the opposition. There were no influences from political parties. He remarked, “Cricket was the reason we were all here.
“In the end, everyone wanted 12 or 25 individuals who could contribute to cricket in some way to go. Keeping that in mind, the vote is done, and that is what we wanted. I didn’t care if I missed the bus since I was so sure I could have won,” he continued. “We didn’t want there to be any selection here.”
In cricket, Tamim Iqbal frequently recovered from early defeats. But in the politics of cricket, which rule his backyard, he appeared to be more motivated by feelings than by logic, and he was compensated for it. One thing is certain: he missed the bus, whether he acknowledges it or not. It is unclear if he will be able to make a comeback. His peers were more mature and intelligent in their timing, as evidenced by the fact that some of them boarded silently.
Tamim Iqbal might learn from former cricket players Abdur Razzak and Khaled Mashud, who became the first directors to serve on the board. Faruque Ahmed and Aminul Islam follow, the latter of whom, after being discarded by the government and eventually invited back into the boardroom, proves the often-used adage that everything is fair in love and battle.
India
