Don’t Allow Shakib To Play For Bangladesh Again, Asif Directs BCB

The Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, has instructed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to allow star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan to represent the national team again, following a two-day social media dispute that began with the player’s birthday greeting to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In an interview with a television channel this week, Asif said he would formally direct the BCB, declaring: “He cannot be allowed to carry Bangladesh’s flag or wear its jersey… Shakib Al Hasan will never again play for the Bangladesh team.”

The controversy erupted Sunday evening when Shakib posted a photo with Hasina, who has lived abroad since her ouster last year, along with the caption: “Happy birthday, Apa.” Within an hour, Asif responded on Facebook, referencing Shakib’s earlier struggles to rejoin the Test squad: “Many cursed me for not rehabilitating one person. But I was right. End of discussion.”

Shakib, who served as an Awami League MP during Hasina’s tenure, replied late that night: “So finally someone admits that because of him I was not given the Bangladesh jersey again… Perhaps one day I will return to my motherland. I love Bangladesh.”

By Monday, Asif escalated his stance, citing Shakib’s political ties and past allegations, including financial irregularities: “Whose hands are stained with the blood of students and people cannot be allowed to carry Bangladesh’s flag… Why should someone be rehabilitated just because he is a good cricketer? The law is equal for all.”

Shakib, however, insisted his greeting was personal, not political, noting that Hasina had always followed cricket and his message carried no other intent.

The dispute underscores the deep entanglement of sport and politics in Bangladesh. Since Hasina’s fall on August 5 last year, Shakib has remained abroad while facing multiple legal cases, including financial misconduct charges. A planned farewell Test in October was scrapped after he was reportedly denied entry into Dhaka.

On social media, opinion remains split—some back Shakib’s right to play on merit, while others stress accountability. If Asif’s directive is enforced, it could signal a definitive end to an era that shaped Bangladesh cricket for more than a decade.

Shakib, 38, has not responded publicly beyond his Facebook post, leaving open the possibility of a return: “Perhaps one day I will return to my motherland.”