Another sign that cricket is not above politics is the drama that is developing every day in the lead-up to the next election of the BCB.
The first week of October is the date of the Bangladesh Cricket Board‘s 2025 Board of Directors Election, which will be conducted by a three-member Election Commission. In accordance with the board’s rules and constitution, the commission will be in charge of conducting and completing the election process.
Advocate Mohammod Hossain, a senior Supreme Court attorney, has been named Chief Election Commissioner. As an Election Commissioner, he will receive assistance from Md. Sibgat Ullah, BPM, PPM, Additional Inspector General of Police, and head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The National Sports Council’s Executive Director (Joint Secretary), who also acts as an Election Commissioner, will be the third panellist.
More than anything, the highly anticipated BCB election is predicted to be a political contest between Tamim Iqbal, who is supported by the BNP, a powerful opposition group, and Aminul Islam Bulbul, who is now the board president and is backed by the government.
“We have requested that Tamim run for president on behalf of our party. On September 3, former BCB president and senior BNP leader Ali Asghar told reporters, “I was under pressure to be the candidate (for the BCB president’s post), but I turned down the offer.”
“Tamim is a good man and a very excellent player, based on our conversation. Tamim can take charge if he is elected president of the cricket board and we can help him along the way,” he stated.
According to Ali Asghar’s remark, the BNP is not in the mood to keep cricket out of politics and will actively participate in Tamim’s election campaign.
According to reports, Tamim, who retracted his retirement decision within 48 hours at the request of Awami League leader and then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, is backed by Tarique Rahman, the BNP’s acting chairman who is anticipated to lead the party in the upcoming general election in February 2026.
According to reports, Tarique, who has been living in exile in London since 2008, when the Awami League, their main opposition party, took control, has just met with Tamim.
Tamim’s action was not unexpected. Political parties in power in Bangladesh have always had a say in the BCB, and considering the current state of affairs in the nation, it is anticipated that the BNP will be the front-runners to form the next government, provided that a free and fair general election is held.
However, if both of them are elected board directors in the upcoming election, Tamim will have a difficult time defeating Bulbul in the presidential contest. When Bulbul took over the position from Faruque Ahmed, he declared that organising the election was his top priority, but he changed his mind and chose to run for office.
The next BCB presidential election will be distinct from previous contests. With the help of political support, Nazmul Hassan, who was close to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was able to win the presidency of the BCB three times in a row without facing any opposition during the past ten years.
This time, the clubs’ combined strength will be used to help Tamim defeat Aminul, who is supported by the current Yunus-led government, in the election. The clubs are assembling a panel of businessmen who are primarily supported by the BNP.
After assuming power, the interim government established ad hoc committees in several regions and divisions that are immediately impacted by the administration. Bulbul’s chances of keeping his position are in jeopardy if these divisional and district councillors finally join the clubs and enter the boardroom as directors.
The president will be chosen by 25 directors, including 12 from clubs, 10 from Division and District, two NSC-nominated, and one from category three, which consists of representatives of other organisations.
Although it was unsuccessful, it is known that representatives of the sports ministry, who are desperate to restore Aminul to power, requested a few seats from the club quota. Whether it was supporting Nazmul to lead the team for the past ten years without any opposition or allowing former national captain Mashrafee bin Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan to enter politics by granting them the right to run in the national election, government meddling in Bangladeshi cricket has always existed.
BCB’s politics have taken several fascinating turns since the last government fell. At first, the interim government frequently declared in public that they were inclined to arrange a free and fair election of the board. But such assurances are evolving.
Aminul Islam said he was threatened and asked not to run for president the day following Asghar’s announcement. The home ministry had already received a letter from BCB asking for gunmen to defend Bulbul.
Bulbul told a TV broadcaster, “I am feeling afraid because there is some sort of security concern.” Aminul said he was threatened to withdraw from the electoral run right away. In order to have an even playing field in the election, Tamim openly said that Bulbul should provide more context for his assertion and asked him to resign from his position.
According to Cricbuzz, Asif Mahmud met with Faruque Ahmed, who was removed from his position as president of the BCB on his recommendation, to assist them in accomplishing their objective of restoring Bulbul to power.
To everyone’s astonishment, Aminul also attended the September 7 meeting that Asif had scheduled to discuss his ideas with the sports editors of major magazines and television networks. Asif stated that he is aware of the threats Bulbul has received and asserted that government intervention is necessary to hold the poll. “We will only get involved to the degree that it is within our power. We shall take all necessary steps to guarantee that the elections are held in a lawful and appropriate manner. In addition, Asif declared that the government would not meddle in the BCB elections.
“Deputy Commissioners are being urged to appoint specific individuals as councillors. People in D.C. are phoning me to report threats against them. Bulbul bhai was even summoned and instructed to “move aside.” You will become the CEO. To combat these issues, government action is required. There isn’t any other interference aside from that,” he stated.
In order to compete against the BNP in the general election, the government is anticipated to support the recently established NCP. They will use the next BCB election as a practice run to demonstrate their strength and intent.
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