The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday removed Najmul Islam from all responsibilities, including his position as chairman of the finance committee, following mounting pressure from national cricketers and a boycott of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The decision was taken by BCB President Mohammad Aminul Islam under Article 31 of the BCB Constitution to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the board, according to an official press release. The BCB president will now serve as acting chairman of the finance committee until further notice.
The move followed a players’ boycott of the BPL after controversial remarks made by Najmul Islam, who was also serving as a BCB director. Cricketers had been demanding his resignation, describing his comments as humiliating and unacceptable.
In its statement, the BCB reiterated that the interests of players remain its highest priority and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the honour and dignity of all cricketers under its jurisdiction. The board urged players to maintain professionalism and continue participating in the BPL during what it termed a challenging period for Bangladesh cricket.
The crisis escalated on Thursday when no teams arrived at the venue hours before the scheduled start of BPL matches. Players were protesting a Facebook post by Najmul Islam in which he accused former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent.”
The remarks were made in response to Tamim’s recent interview, in which he urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing interests ahead of Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Tamim had also criticised the BCB’s decision not to travel to India after the Board of Control for Cricket in India requested the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL franchise.
Najmul’s post sparked widespread backlash, with screenshots circulating on social media. The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) subsequently announced a boycott of the BPL unless Najmul resigned before the opening match.
Although Najmul later issued a clarification, claiming his comments reflected personal opinion, both BPL matches scheduled for Thursday were postponed, with uncertainty remaining over subsequent fixtures.
