BCB leadership change entirely due to performance: Bangladesh's sports advisor

Bangladesh's Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has stated that the recent leadership change at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was based purely on performance. The former national skipper Aminul Islam Bulbul replaced Faruque Ahmed after Asif described it as an unavoidable move to address the decline of cricket in the country.

Asif emphasised that the decision was not politically motivated but was made in the best interest of cricket development in Bangladesh.

“We had certain expectations from the cricket board. Unfortunately, we did not see development matching those expectations. The state of cricket is deteriorating day by day. I cannot let cricket sink under my watch,” Asif said at a media interaction during the national handball championship.

He clarified that Faruque was not removed as BCB President directly. The National Sports Council (NSC) withdrew his nomination as director, which automatically disqualified him from holding the presidency.

“The NSC (National Sports Council) has the authority to nominate or withdraw directors. We did not remove him from the presidency. We only withdrew his nomination as director. The presidency fell automatically as a result, and Aminul Bhai was elected as per the BCB constitution,” he explained.

Irrengualrities in management led to removal: Asif

The leadership transition happened due to a series of reports highlighting mismanagement during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). A fact-finding committee found out multiple irregularities, including administrative inefficiencies that resulted in financial strain. This made the government intervene to cover unpaid expenses such as player salaries.

“We didn't find any evidence of corruption, but the BPL report made it clear there were significant administrative failures. In such situations, the performance of the leadership must be assessed,” Asif said.

The transition was solely on accountability: Asif

He noted that the lack of teamwork within the BCB leadership also contributed to the removal. The change in leadership came after most BCB directors submitted a no-confidence motion against Faruque. Asif stressed that the move was based solely on accountability and not driven by personal or political agendas.

“Like in cricket, you need a team to function. At BCB, there was no team. Directors were not comfortable working with him. This is not about removing someone in disgrace. It's about performance. Like a player gets dropped for repeated failures, administrators must also be assessed,” Asif conceded.

“Every federation will be evaluated on two grounds – their annual progress report and financial audits. If I fail, I too can be replaced. This is not about individuals; it's about improving Bangladesh's sports. What matters are the facts. Every sports journalist in this country reported on BPL irregularities. A fact-finding committee backed those reports. We acted on those facts, not opinions,” he added.

Aminul is temporary: Asif

Asif confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had been informed about the leadership change and expressed support. He revealed that Aminul’s appointment is temporary with the next BCB election tentatively scheduled for October.

“We didn't set a term for Aminul Bhai. He agreed to serve out of commitment to cricket, even though he's giving up a salaried ICC position for an honorary role,” Asif concluded.