Fans of Bangladeshi politician and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan protested outside the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in the capital Dhaka on Friday, ahead of the home test series against South Africa. Shakib flew from the United States to join the Bangladesh team, but canceled the trip to Dhaka while in Dubai owing to’security concerns’. The news stunned Shakib followers, as hundreds of his admirers began gathering outside Mirpur Stadium, one of the venues for the test series, which begins Monday.
“I am a big fan of Shakib Al Hasan. You can not exclude Shakib from the Bangladesh team, because he is one of the best cricketers in the world. I do not believe that he did any crime as he was abroad during the movement. Why he was barred from coming home”, said a fan wearing a Bangladesh jersey while hundreds of his supporters shouted “Shakib Shakib Shakib”.
“Why will Shakib leave cricket in Kanpur (India)? Another fan stated that he will say his goodbyes from Mirpur as he wishes.
Bangladesh cricket faces hurdles in the post-Shakib era, according to its supporters.
A fan stated, “Without Shakib, the Bangladesh team is immobile.
Notably, Shakib would formally join the Awami League in 2023. He ran for the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami League candidate in the 2024 Bangladesh general election, winning.
Following weeks of protests and riots that killed over 600 people, a student-led movement deposed Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, two months ago. On August 5, Hasina, 76, escaped to India, and an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was established.Many accusations of crimes committed during the July-August rebellion are being brought against Awami League officials and sympathizers, including Sheikh Hasina. Following the test series against South Africa, Sakib Al Hasan, one of the accused in the cases, wanted to bid cricket adieu. He was looking for protection.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) gave a positive response and declared the squad, which included Shakib Al Hasan. Sakib took a plane from the United States, but because of security worries, he returned home while making a stop in Dubai.
Following Chandika Hathurusinghe’s suspension for misbehavior, BCB announced the appointment of former West Indies hitter Phil Simmons as the team’s head coach for men’s national cricket.
