The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed former captain Faruque Ahmed as president on Wednesday, following the resignation of Nazmul Hassan, a key ally of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Cricket and politics are closely intertwined in Bangladesh, and the sport has been affected by the political unrest. Nazmul, who also held the position of sports minister under Hasina's 15-year autocratic regime, submitted his resignation to the BCB, according to CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, who spoke to AFP. "His resignation was accepted," Chowdhury confirmed.
Over 450 people died during a month of student-led protests against Hasina's rule, leading to her resignation as prime minister on August 5 and her subsequent departure from the country. Chowdhury stated that Faruque was elected by the board's directors and assumed his new role immediately.
Nazmul had been president of the BCB since 2012, with his latest term set to conclude in 2025. Faruque, the new president, briefly led Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy in Kenya and participated in seven one-day internationals. He retired from the national team after the 1999 World Cup and served as the national chief selector from 2005 to 2014.
