Tamim Accuses BCB of 'Fixing' as 15 Candidates Withdraw from Polls

Tamim Iqbal and 14 Others Withdraw from BCB Election, Accuse Board of 'Fixing'

Tamim Iqbal, along with 14 other councillors, withdrew from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election on Wednesday, citing government interference, and accused the board of “fixing the election” during a media briefing.

The BCB election is scheduled for October 6. The deadline for withdrawing candidacy for director positions expired at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, and the final list of candidates is expected to be published at 2:00 pm.

On the same day, prominent contenders such as Saeed Ibrahim Ahmed, Israfil Khoshru, Syed Borhanul Islam, and Rafiqul Islam Babu also pulled out of the race.

Speaking at the BCB corridor in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Tamim said:

“You know that today we have withdrawn our nominations. Including me, about 14–15 of us have withdrawn. The reason for this is very clear. From the very beginning, I have been saying one thing, and you all know the direction this election is heading and how it is being conducted.”

He questioned the fairness of the election process and hinted at government interference:

“Whatever seems right at any moment, whatever they want to do, is being done. This is not really an election, and it doesn’t suit cricket in any way. When the EC publishes the list of withdrawals, you will see they are all heavyweights with strong vote banks. This is our way of protesting. We cannot be part of this filth. Cricket has lost today, one hundred percent.”

Tamim also accused a certain party of pressuring other candidates:

“Many more would have withdrawn today but were persuaded or pressured not to. Still, if 15 of us have withdrawn, it’s a significant number—almost fifty percent. You may win or lose, but cricket has definitely lost today.”

He called on the BCB to address election malpractice:

“You say loudly that fixing in Bangladesh must stop; first, stop the fixing in the election, then think about fixing in cricket. It is clear who was involved, how the rules were changed at will, and the type of interference that occurred. This election has become a black mark for the BCB. Those involved understand that this was not an election in any sense.”

List of Withdrawn Candidates:

1. Tamim Iqbal (Old DOHS)

2. Rafiqul Islam Babu (Indira Krira Chakra)

3. Masuduzzaman (Mohammedan)

4. Saeed Ibrahim Ahmed (Fair Fighters)

5. Mir Helal (Chattogram District)

6. Syed Burhan Hossain Pappu (Tejgaon Cricket Academy)

7. Israfil Khoshru (Exume Cricketers)

8. Sabbir Ahmed Rubel (Progoti Seba Sangha)

9. Touhid Tarek (Pabna)

10. Asif Rabbani (Shinepukur)

11. Siraj Uddin Mohammad Alamgir (Category-3)

12. Yasir Abbas (Azad Sporting)

13. Fahim Sinha (Suryatarun)

14. Saiful Islam Sopu (Gopibagh Friends)

15. Omar Sharif Mohammad Imran (Bangladesh Boys)