Former national skippers Naimur Rahman and Khaled Mahmud won from their respective categories in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s election held at the National Sports Council on Thursday.
Mahmud (25 votes) defeated Gazi Ashraf Hossain by seven votes in category three in the election that also saw Monjur Kader being elected from Dhaka division and Pabna DSA councillor Saiful Alam Swapan from Rajshahi Division.
‘We are happy to complete the BCB election in due time that we considered as our major responsibility with the whole country looking forward to it,’ said Abdur Rahman, chief election commissioner of the election.
‘It was a closely contested election and the amount of enthusiasm about it can be measured by the day-long activities by the supporters of different candidates,’ said Rahman.
‘A neck-and-neck fight was observed in the Rajshahi division where Rafius Shams had to concede defeat by one vote as he could poll four votes against Saiful Alam’s five.
Naimur won a landslide victory in the Dhaka division, claiming 16 votes out of 18 cast in the election. Kader won 13 votes to be the second director from this division as the other candidate Mirza Zillur could earn only five votes.
‘I was looking forward to this opportunity so that I can contribute for the development of cricket. After being elected my responsibility has increased,’ said Naimur, a member of BCB ad hoc committee headed by Nazmul Hasan.
Mahmud looked to be elated at his victory as it came against an experienced Ashraf and is looking forward to working in the development sector that he considered to be one of the major areas needed to be focussed on.
‘I was confident of a win. I will prefer to work in the development sector,’ said Mahmud.
‘Though I am ready to take up any role but we need to focus on the game development,’ he added.
Mahmud, who had earlier resigned from the ad-hoc member post in order to be a coach of Chittagong Kings in the BPL, was not ready to give up coaching entirely.
‘I think if you are honest you can do both,’ said Mahmud.
‘I am ready to give up coaching in the BPL but have to stay with Prime Bank in the domestic competition as that is my profession,’ said Mahmud.
‘I have already talked about it with Nazmul Hasan,’ he added.
Meanwhile, the NSC confirmed that Nazmul Hasan, Ahmed Sazzadul Alam and Ismail Haider Mallick had been nominated as the three directors from its quota through a gazette notification.
‘They are the three person nominated by the NSC as per the gazette,’ said Rahman.
‘We are still not sure who will be in charge for the president election but if we are asked we will surely complete that,’ he added.
It was learnt that the presidential election will be held today and Nazmul Hasan is expected to be the next BCB chief.
-With New Age input
