Controversial clubs keep place in BCB voter list ahead of election

The Bangladesh Cricket Board's upcoming election has already been coloured by controversy, with the final voter list raising more questions than it answers. Released yesterday afternoon on the BCB website and through a press note, the list retains councillors from 15 clubs long accused of enjoying undue favours during the Awami League government. The only district association missing from the roll is Narsingdi.

The shadow over these clubs stretches back to the tenure of Nazmul Hassan as BCB president. Back then, 18 clubs managed to bypass the grind of third-division qualifying without playing a single match. Three of them later slipped back, leaving 15 to secure councillorship. Their rise was helped along by another manoeuvre: the entry fee for the qualifiers was hiked from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 5 lakh, effectively discouraging genuine contenders. Instead, two clubs with close ties to the board would enter every year, finish as champions and runners-up, and climb into the third division — a neat little vote-bank expansion for the administration of the time.

Despite formal objections raised in recent weeks, the Election Commission has chosen to keep all 15 of these clubs on the list. The clubs, for their part, argued that accusations cannot be treated as convictions; unless charges are proven, they see no reason to be sidelined from the election process.

Interestingly, while the draft list had excluded councillors from five districts — Narsingdi, Sylhet, Naogaon, Bogura and Pabna — the final roll reinstated all but Narsingdi.

High-profile names also faced challenges. Former national captain Tamim Iqbal's role as councillor for Old DOHS was questioned on the grounds that he was "not yet a former cricketer" and not actually a member of the club. Meanwhile, former BCB president Faruq Ahmed came under scrutiny for filing his councillor nomination after the deadline. The commission dismissed both appeals, with Faruq's written explanation accepted and Tamim's case brushed aside.

The election itself is set for 6 October, with nomination papers to be distributed tomorrow and filed the following day. But if the voter list is any indication, this election is already carrying forward the baggage of a system where cricketing merit has long played second fiddle to political and personal influence.

The decision to legitimise these controversial clubs has only deepened the perception that BCB elections are less about cricket and more about consolidating influence. Critics argue that the inclusion of such clubs — many of which have little or no real cricketing activity — undermines the credibility of the board and reduces the voice of genuine stakeholders in the game. Instead of serving as a platform for cricket development, the electoral process is once again being seen as a numbers game, where loyalty and patronage matter more than merit or accountability.

For players, coaches, and officials who remain on the margins of power, this outcome is frustratingly familiar. With just days to go before nominations open, the stage is set for yet another election where the same old power blocs will dominate, backed by the very clubs that critics say should never have been there in the first place. Whether the 6 October polls can produce anything different from the entrenched cycle of politics, favouritism, and backroom dealings remains highly doubtful.