The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that Shakib Al Hasan, the veteran all-rounder, will continue to play and represent Bangladesh until proven guilty. This decision comes despite Shakib's involvement in a First Information Report (FIR) related to a murder case amid recent unrest.
Initially, BCB officials had suggested that a decision regarding Shakib's future participation would be made after the opening Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. However, the situation escalated legally when Shajib Mahmood Alam, a lawyer from the Supreme Court, on behalf of Advocate Md Rafinur Rahman, sent a legal notice to the BCB.
The notice demanded Shakib's immediate removal from cricket, stating that according to the rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC), a player named in a legal case should not remain part of the national team. It also called for Shakib to aid in the investigation and urged the BCB to inform the ICC about the situation.
BCB president Faruque Ahmed confirmed Shakib's continuation in an interview with Bengali daily Prothom Alo. He stated, "He [Shakib] will continue playing. We received a legal notice regarding bringing him back, and we replied to them saying this."
Ahmed explained that since the FIR is in its initial stages and no guilt has been proven, Shakib will remain with the team. He added, "The Bangladesh team will go to India after the Pakistan series, and we want him in that series as well. He is our contracted player, and if necessary, we will provide him with legal assistance."
Despite his legal situation, Shakib is set to meet his international and domestic commitments. He won't return to Bangladesh with the team after the Test series against Pakistan as he is scheduled to play a four-day match for Surrey in England. The BCB has granted him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from September 5 to 14 to participate in the County game against Somerset.
A BCB official confirmed Shakib's participation to Cricbuzz, saying, "He [Shakib] has not played red-ball cricket for a while, and that is why we have given him an NOC to play for Surrey, as it will help him adjust to red-ball cricket more than anything else." The match between Surrey and Somerset is scheduled from September 9 to 12.
Following his stint in county cricket, Shakib is set to rejoin the national squad in India, where Bangladesh is scheduled to play two Tests and three T20Is starting September 19.
As legal proceedings continue, the BCB's stance underscores a commitment to due process while remaining focused on upcoming international fixtures.
Tags: #ShakibAlHasan, #BCB, #MurderCase, #LegalNotice, #InternationalCricket
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