A group of facebook fans have planned to form a human chain today in front of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium demanding the punishment against beleaguered national cricketer to be kept nominal after his recent confession about match-fixing.
The initiative was taken at a very short notice after some private university students decided to open a facebook page to express their sympathy for Ashraful after being moved by seeing him in tears when he was banned from cricket by the Bangladesh Cricket Board on June 4.
The page was set up four days ago and in no time the social network movement attracted more than 36,000 followers.
Fans assembled through social networks like facebook and twitter recently launched the Shahbag movement and the human chain for Ashraful has also been planned in a similar way.
Ashraful profusely apologised to the nation hours after the decision of the BCB was aired on several television channels with tears in his eyes admitting his confession to the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit about his alleged involvement in match-fixing during the Bangladesh Premier League.
None of the fans wanted him to go unpunished for his action that had pushed the country’s cricket towards a crisis but they are eager to see him back to business.
‘Definitely he [Ashraful] made a mistake but you must remember he is human and can make errors,’ Turjo, one of the fanpage’s activists, told New Age on Saturday.
‘We must also not forget about his contribution to Bangladesh cricket,’ said Turjo, who came to Dhaka from Dinajpur.
‘So in order to recognise his efforts he should be punished for a short term,’ he added.
Turjo informed that several fans from different parts of the country are expected to appear in the showdown for the cricketer as they felt it was their moral duty to back Ashraful at this moment of crisis.
‘It was not long time ago that our national team’s victories largely depended on Ashraful ,’ said Turjo.
‘He insilled the self-belief in our team that they are quite capable of beating the other powerhouses in cricket,’ said Turjo.
‘For a mistake no one can take away everything from him,’ he added.
Minhaj Rahi, another activist in this movement, added that they will go to all extent to see their demand fulfilled as he cannot be the only person to be punished for the entire saga.
‘There are others as well and unless they are brought to book it is useless to make him the only victim,’ said Minhaj.
‘The owners of his franchise are still roaming around without any shame,’ added Minhaj.
Singer Asif, an avid Ashraful fan who met Ashraful at his home on Friday, is also said to be involved with the planned rally.
It was reported that Ashraful confessed to the ACSU about his involvement where he said that the Dhaka Gladiators team management was behind the scene of the matches that they had thrown away deliberately.
-With New Age input
