Yunus out, Tarique in. Dhaka moves to woo Awami League-loyal cricketers back
India Today
Hours after the Tarique Rahman-led BNP government was sworn in, newly appointed state minister for sports, Aminul Haque, said he wanted cases against Awami League-loyalist cricketers, Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, resolved so that they could return to cricket. The former Bangladesh captains served as Awami League MPs and face multiple charges.
The cricketing mood has shifted in Dhaka. No, Bangladesh has not decided to join the T20 World Cup. Nor can it join the ongoing tournament any more. But, in Bangladesh, where politics and cricket have reflected each other's drama in the last couple of months, the change in administration in Dhaka is already showing its effect.
Hours after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government led by Tarique Rahman took oath on Tuesday, the new state minister for youth and sports, Aminul Haque, signalled that he wanted Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza back in Bangladesh cricket.
Both former captains, once elected as Awami League MPs, are facing multiple cases and have remained out of the country or out of public view since the deadly protests toppled PM Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024.
During the interim rule of Muhammad Yunus, Shakib was explicitly barred from representing Bangladesh. The message from the new administration now is one of "flexibility and tolerance".
Interestingly, the remarks by minister Aminul Haque follow reports that in several parts of Bangladesh, local BNP leaders have facilitated the reopening of Awami League offices following the former's victory in the February 12 election.
On February 14, Bangladeshi sports channel T Sports asked BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul, "Whether Shakib stays in cricket or not?" He replied, "That depends on his form. I have never wanted politics in sports, nor do I believe in it. Whoever is deserving should remain.
Hours after the Tarique Rahman-led BNP government was sworn in, newly appointed state minister for sports, Aminul Haque, said he wanted cases against Awami League-loyalist cricketers, Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, resolved so that they could return to cricket. The former Bangladesh captains served as Awami League MPs and face multiple charges.
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