Mubasshar Hussain, a cricket organiser, who is fighting against the interference of the National Sports Council in Bangladesh Cricket Board’s constitution in court,
has demanded immediate election in the body.
In a press conference at the Bangladesh Olympic Association auditorium on Sunday, Mubasshar blasted Nazmul Hasan-led BCB ad-hoc committee, saying it delayed the election by prolonging the legal battle without any reason.
He also accused the ad hoc committee of violating the mandate given to them by the government, being unable to hold the election within 90 days from their taking over the charge.
Mubasshar drew a comparison between the BCB ad-hoc committee and the Fakruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government from 2007-08, adding that the present BCB body is even worse than that.
‘Fakruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government did everything to cling to power, but they did not at least try to participate in the election. I would say this BCB body is worse than that,’ said Mubasshar.
‘They are running the BCB beyond their mandate and making a ploy so that they can return as elected members. I have reason to doubt if they would have been at all interested about the election if there was no obligation to the ICC,’ he said.
The ICC in its AGM in 2011 decided that all member countries should have an elected committee free from government interference by 2013. The deadline is nearing to end but there is no visible sign of election, which Mubasshar said is a matter of concern.
The BCB president recently said he cannot take any initiative for holding the BCB election as the 2012 constitution is sub judice and the 2008 constitution is against the ICC guidelines.
He also said he cannot hold the election under the 2008 constitution as Bangladesh will risk losing its ICC membership in that case. Mubasshar found this remark confusing saying that the BCB councillors approved the amendments to the 2008 constitution in line with the ICC guidelines in the March 1, 2012 AGM and election can be held by approving these amendments.
‘NSC made things complicated as they did not approve the amendments brought by the councillors. As a regulatory body their job was only to see if these amendments are against the country’s sports policy or constitution,’ he said.
‘Rather they made some amendments on their own which we challenged in court. The High Court declared the NSC’s amendments illegal and the matter should have ended here,’ said Mubasshar.
‘But the BCB joined hands with the NSC and lodged a civil miscellaneous petition seeking leave to appeal before Appellate Division to stay the High Court ruling, which was surprising.
‘If the ad-hoc committee was sincere about the election it should not have done this,’ he said.
-With New Age input
