Bangladesh’s cricketers ended their boycott of domestic matches on Thursday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board removed director Najmul Islam as finance committee chairman and he issued a public apology for disparaging remarks.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board removed Najmul Islam from his role as finance committee chairman on Thursday amid a Bangladesh cricket boycott that halted two Bangladesh Premier League matches in Dhaka. Players, led by the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh, had refused to play until Islam resigned over comments criticising their performance and ruling out compensation if the team missed the T20 World Cup.
The boycott began after Islam’s remarks on Wednesday, where he suggested players should return funds invested in them due to poor international results. “We have invested so much in them, they haven’t been able to achieve anything, anywhere,” Islam said. He added: “Have we won a single global trophy till now? Then we could’ve said every time, you have failed to perform, whatever we have spent on you, now we will take it back. Return it to us.”
The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh responded with a demand for Islam’s immediate resignation. Association president Mohammad Mithun stated: “The remark made by the BCB director has hurt the cricket fraternity greatly, and it’s not acceptable. We demand his resignation. If he doesn’t resign before tomorrow’s match, we will announce a boycott of all cricket, starting from the BPL matches tomorrow.”
On Thursday, players from Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express did not arrive at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for the 1:00 PM toss, delaying the first match. A second fixture between Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans at 5:30 PM was also postponed. Four Dhaka Cricket League games were affected.
The Bangladesh cricket boycott highlighted tensions within the sport amid broader regional issues. Bangladesh ranks ninth in ICC T20 rankings and has never reached a T20 World Cup semi-final in nine editions. The team, captained by Litton Das, faces uncertainty over participation in the tournament starting 7 February.
BCB Removes Najmul Islam Amid Escalating Dispute
The Bangladesh Cricket Board issued a show-cause notice to Islam on Thursday morning, giving him 48 hours to respond. By afternoon, board president Aminul Islam Bulbul invoked Article 31 of the BCB constitution to remove Islam from the finance committee with immediate effect.
“The decision has been taken in accordance with the authority vested in the BCB President under Article 31 of the BCB Constitution and is aimed at ensuring the continued smooth and effective functioning of the Board’s affairs,” the board stated. It added: “The Board remains fully committed to upholding the honour and dignity of all players under its jurisdiction.”
Bulbul will act as interim finance committee chairman until a replacement is named. The board expressed regret over Islam’s comments, calling them “inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful,” and distanced itself from them.
Islam’s statements came during a press conference addressing Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India for T20 World Cup matches. On 4 January, the board requested the ICC shift their games to Sri Lanka after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League team, Kolkata Knight Riders, amid bilateral tensions.
Islam had earlier labelled former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” for advocating dialogue with India. He rejected player compensation for missing the World Cup, arguing the board had never sought refunds for underperformance.
BPL Player Protest Disrupts Domestic Schedule
The BPL player protest stemmed from Islam’s dismissal of compensation concerns. “The question of compensation does not even arise,” he said. Players viewed this as disrespectful, prompting the association to rally support.
Team captains including Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, and Mithun confirmed solidarity with the boycott. The protest extended to Dhaka Cricket League, affecting grassroots levels.
By Thursday evening, after a tripartite meeting involving the board, association, and players, Islam issued a public apology. The association accepted it, stating: “We welcome the decision to remove Mr Najmul Islam from the Finance Committee. Since he has publicly apologised and the formal process regarding his directorship continues, we will be ready to return to cricket from Friday.”
The Bangladesh cricket boycott lasted less than 24 hours but exposed governance issues.
Background
The crisis unfolds against Bangladesh’s standoff with the ICC over T20 World Cup venues. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on 7 February. Bangladesh cited security concerns for refusing India matches, linked to Rahman’s IPL release and regional political tensions.
The board formally requested relocation on 4 January. Sports advisor Asif Nazrul supported this, stating: “We won’t play the World Cup at the cost of national pride or player security.” The ICC has not confirmed any shift.
Bangladesh has invested heavily in cricket infrastructure, including Sher-e-Bangla Stadium upgrades. Annual spending on players exceeds BDT 500 crore, per board estimates. Despite this, the team has no major ICC trophies.
Islam’s role as finance chairman involved overseeing budgets, including player contracts. His removal may impact financial planning ahead of the World Cup.
What’s Next
The Bangladesh Premier League resumes on Friday, 16 January, with rescheduled matches. The board hopes players maintain professionalism amid the Bangladesh cricket boycott resolution.
Focus shifts to ICC’s decision on venue requests. If denied, Bangladesh risks sanctions or withdrawal, affecting rankings and revenue. The association indicated ongoing discussions on cricket’s future in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh cricket boycott resolution may stabilise domestic play, but regional diplomacy remains key for international participation.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, January 16th, 2026
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