Bangladesh Cricket Board elections on October 6, Tamim raises concerns
What's the story
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections are set to take place on October 6, the country's election commission announced today. The general members body, known as the councilors, will elect 23 out of 25 board directors. From this pool of 25, a BCB president will be elected for a four-year term. However, former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has accused current BCB president Nazmul Hassan of "interference" in the election process.
Accusations
Election commission in charge since they were appointed: Tamim
Tamim, who recently declared his intention to stand for election, held a press conference in Dhaka with other candidates and former BCB directors. He accused Nazmul Hassan of unilaterally extending the deadline for nomination submission. The letter, dated September 18, was signed by Nazmul himself but not issued by the BCB's chief executive. "The election commission is in charge since their appointment... The BCB president extended the deadline for nomination submission twice," Tamim said.
Allegations
'Selection' instead of 'election'
Tamim also alleged that the BCB's constitution was violated when board representatives from eight divisions and 64 districts were nominated by an ad-hoc committee. He said this was not in line with the BCB's constitution and called it a "selection" rather than an election. "If elections are conducted this way, it is no longer an election but a selection. Elections should be open and fair for everyone," he added.
Fairness
Authorities should respect the original councilors list, says Tamim
Tamim urged the authorities to respect the original councilors' list and ensure a fair election process. "I hope that those declared as councilors on September 17 remain unchanged. There should be no modifications," he said. The election schedule includes publishing a draft voter list on September 22 and a final one on September 25.
Process
Breakdown of the BCB election process
The election will have three categories. In the first, 10 directors will be elected from divisions and districts across the country. The second category will see 12 directors elected from representatives of Dhaka clubs. The third category will elect one director from former cricketers, national captains, security forces, and councilors nominated by the National Sports Council. The Bangladesh government will also choose two directors for board positions.