BCB says door open for Shakib Al Hasan’s return to national team

On the day Bangladesh was officially left out of the upcoming T20 World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a fresh surprise. After an eight-hour-long meeting of the board of directors on Tuesday, the BCB said at a late-night press conference that Shakib Al Hasan would once again be considered for selection for the national team, both at home and abroad.

BCB Media Committee chairman Amjad Hossain said, "If Shakib Al Hasan's availability, fitness and accessibility are in order, and if he is able to be present at the venue where matches are held, then the board or the selection panel will certainly consider him for selection in the future.

It was also stated at the press conference that Shakib himself is keen to return to national duty. Amjad Hossain said, "We discussed with him whether he wants to play both home and away series, and whether he would be available for both. He said he would be. The decision has been taken after discussion with him. He has probably made this decision with full understanding."

In January 2024, Shakib was elected Member of Parliament from the Magura-1 constituency as a nominee of the Awami League. Following the fall of the Awami League government during the student-public uprising in July–August that year, he was unable to return to Bangladesh. Shakib last played for the national team in September 2024, in Kanpur, India.

The following month, after playing the Test against South Africa in Mirpur, Shakib decided to retire from Test cricket. Although he was named in the squad, he did not return to the country in the face of protests. Demonstrations were held at Mirpur demanding that he not be allowed to play because of his political association with the Awami League.

Asked whether Shakib's political identity could once again become an obstacle, Amjad Hossain gave an ambiguous response. "His political identity is for the government to consider. If the government wants to see him as an offender or if he has to face trial, that is not a BCB issue," he said.

However, if Shakib cannot play without government approval, the situation would remain unchanged. The BCB did not offer any clear explanation on this point.

Since 5 August 2024, multiple cases have been filed against Shakib, including a murder case. These issues had made his return to Bangladesh difficult. Questions were therefore raised about how he would return, and whether he would face arrest if he did so.

No specific answers were given. Amjad Hossain said only, "We have already asked our president to communicate with the government on this matter."

He later added, "Shakib's personal issues are his own. How the government views them is up to the government. From the board's side, the main point is that we want Shakib."

Amjad also said the board had decided to consider 27 additional cricketers for this year's central contracts. Before that decision, discussions were held on which players would be under national team consideration. It was during those discussions, he said, that Shakib's name came up.

Two other BCB directors, Abdur Razzak and Asif Akbar, were present at the press conference. Responding to a question about Shakib's political identity, Asif Akbar said, "Whether Shakib is a fallen fascist or a former Member of Parliament is not our concern. We want the cricketer Shakib."

Questions were also raised as to whether the sudden decision to reconsider Shakib was intended to divert attention from the controversy surrounding Bangladesh's absence from the T20 World Cup. Amjad rejected the suggestion, saying the issue was unrelated. He said the board had tried several times in the past to include Shakib but had been unable to do so. Asif Akbar added that the matter would be discussed again at the board's next meeting.

Although he has not played for the national team for more than a year, Shakib has continued to feature in overseas franchise leagues. He is currently playing in a tournament in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, BCB director Ishtiaq Sadeq has resigned from his post. The board said after the meeting that he stepped down for personal reasons.