The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Najmul Islam as the chairman of the finance committee following controversy over his remarks about senior cricketer Tamim Iqbal.

 

BCB President Md Aminul Islam, who will now also serve as the acting chairman of the committee, made the decision under Article 31 of the BCB Constitution to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the board.

 

In a statement, the board said protecting players’ interests remained its highest priority.

 

The BCB reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the honour and dignity of all cricketers under its jurisdiction and urged players to remain professional and committed to the development of Bangladesh cricket.

 

It also called on players to continue their participation in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

 

The decision followed a strong protest by Bangladeshi cricketers earlier in the day when no teams arrived at the venue for a scheduled BPL match.

 

Players staged the protest in response to “humiliating” remarks by Islam wherein he had called Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent”.

 

Widely shared screenshots of Islam’s Facebook post read, “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent.”

 

He had made the comment after Tamim urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing interests ahead of Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

 

Tamim’s remarks followed the BCB’s decision to not travel to India for the tournament after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, citing security concerns.