The Bangladesh Cricket Board directors Mahbub Anam and AZM Nasiruddin were elected vice-presidents in the election held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.
The election got spiced when Najib Ahmed submitted the nomination papers at the last minute for the largely ceremonial posts, but hardly he could manage to convince the board directors to provide him with a chance.
Mahbub, a former vice-president of the BCB, got the highest 21 votes and Chittagong-based Nasir received 17 votes while Nazib bagged only 8 votes.
‘I did not cast my vote to remain neutral,’ BCB president Nazmul Hasan told reporters while announcing the results.
‘The election was held in a peaceful environment with all the directors vowing to work together for the improvement of cricket of the country,’ Nazmul added.
Six directors – Akram Khan, Tanzil Chowdhury, Sheikh Sohel, Ahmed Iqbal Hasan, Enayet Hossain Siraj and Gazi Golam Mortuza Pappa – were not present during the election.
But according to BCB president, apart from Ahmed Iqbal and Sheikh Sohel all the other four directors cast their votes online.
The election also saw some dramatic incidents as Najib Ahmed, a candidate for the VP, left the meeting. He was later brought back by the BCB directors and then the election was held.
Meanwhile, a director elected from Pabna, Saifur Rahman Swapan, arrived at the SBNS by helicopter to draw the attention of all.
In December 2013, five candidates emerged for the two BCB vice-president posts for election which was supposed to take place on December 4.
Former senior vice-president Mahbub Anam, former vice-president Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Bobby along with Enayet Hossain Siraj, Afzalur Rahman Sinha and AZM Nasir all showed their interests.
The board directors, however, failed to reach a consensus over the two largely ceremonial posts and consequently opted to hold an election.
However, the number of interested candidates for the delayed election was reduced to two after current board directors Sazzadul Alam Bobby, Enayet Hossain Siraj and Afzalur Rahman Sinha withdrew from the race.
Anam and Nasir was supposed to be elected uncontested before Najib Ahmed submitted his nomination at the last minute.
‘I think we will remain the same and this result will hardly affect our relationship,’ said Mahbub.
‘We will work together for the development of cricket,’ added Mahbub.
Nasir also echoed the same sentiment as Mahbub.
-With New Age input
