The Anti-Corruption Tribunal, appointed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, wants a quick disposal of the Bangladesh Premier League match-fixing cases as it resumes hearing today.
The much-hyped trial of the BPL match-fixing scandal began on November 24 with all nine accused individuals attending the preliminary hearing through their lawyers with the exception of former cricketer Mohammad Rafique.
Rafique is expected to face the hearing after initially snubbing the Tribunal. The BCB appointed an interpreter; a decision which insiders suggested was made to help the former left-arm spinner during the trial process.
‘We are hoping to complete the cases of BPL match-fixing through a speedy trial as the reputation of the country is at stake,’ retired Justice Khademul Islam, who heads the three-member panel, told New Age on Saturday.
‘After completing the trial, we will give our verdict that will be totally based on fairness as the entire cricketing fraternity is reserving their focus on it.’
Meanwhile, sources said that Darren Stevens, one of two overseas cricketers charged for failing to report the corruption approach that was made to them, arrived in Dhaka on Friday to attend the hearing personally.
He is set to stay for 21 days during which the tribunal is expected to complete the trial process.
The other accused of this offence, Sri Lankan cricketer Kaushal Lokuarachchi, however, pleaded guilty.
The ICC on August 13 charged nine individuals for their part in match-fixing in the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 competition.
All the accused persons were related to two-time champions Dhaka Gladiators.
Seven of the nine individuals have been directly charged with fixing-related activities, while two others were charged with failing to report corrupt approaches despite being obliged to do so.
The charges were brought after a massive investigation by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, which was engaged by the BCB to provide anti-corruption cover during the BPL’s second edition.
Khademul added that they are not willing to disclose anything in detail as the anti-corruption panel is connected to the International Cricket Council.
‘You must understand that the whole process is maintained through the binding we have signed with the ICC. And there, it is clearly stated that we must maintain confidentiality. So we are bound to keep that confidentiality,’ he added.
The accused also includes Mohammad Ashraful, Mosharraf Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Dhaka Gladiators owners Selim Chowdhury and Shihab Chowdhury, the franchisee’s Indian CEO Gaurav Rawat and Rafique, according to reports.
-With New Age input
