NEW DELHI: The controversy erupted after Bangladesh Cricket Board finance committee chairman M Nazmul Islam launched a scathing attack on former captain Tamim Iqbal, accusing him of being an Indian agent.

Tamim has urged the BCB to reconsider its decision not to send the national team to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, a move taken in retaliation after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of IPL 2026 on the BCCI’s diktat.

He stressed that any decision should be taken in the best interests of Bangladesh cricket and its players, rather than being driven by public sentiment, warning that such choices could have consequences a decade down the line.

“The situation is a bit critical at the moment, and making a sudden comment right now is difficult. But one thing you must keep in mind is that many issues can often be resolved through dialogue if everyone comes together,” Tamim was quoted as saying by ‘Cricbuzz’.

“You have to consider where Bangladesh stands in world cricket and what the future of Bangladesh cricket could be and then make decisions accordingly,” he said.

BCB official sparks controversy

Nazmul posted a controversial message on his Facebook page, which he later deleted after it triggered a massive backlash.

“This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent,” he wrote in the post.

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The Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) said on Friday that it has formally written to the BCB president, calling for disciplinary action against the director, even after he issued a public apology.

“A comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal has come to the attention of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB). We are stunned, shocked, and outraged by it.

“Such a remark by a board official about the most successful opener in Bangladesh’s history, who represented the country for 16 years, is utterly condemnable. Not only because it concerns a player like Tamim, but such comments about any cricketer of the country are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community,” CWAB said in a statement.

“We strongly protest against this comment. When a responsible board director makes such remarks on a public platform, it also raises serious questions about the code of conduct of board officials,” it said.

“We have already submitted a protest letter to the BCB president, demanding a public apology from the concerned board director and that he be brought under accountability. We hope the BCB president will take appropriate action as soon as possible,” it added.