Following an agreement between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players’ welfare union, Bangladesh’s irate cricket players put off their boycott “in the greater interest of the game” and the planned BPL T20 matches resumed on Friday, even as Mohammad Mithun, the president of Bangladesh’s Cricketers’ Welfare Association (CWAB), claimed that he has received death threats for standing up for the players after a senior Board member made disparaging remarks about them.
Senior national players revolted against director Najmul Islam for making derogatory remarks about them, and the BCB faced the possibility of its premier T20 league coming to an end on Thursday.
In an attempt to contain the issue, the BCB removed Najmul from his position as head of its finance committee.
According to Mithun, they had to “compromise on some things” in order to protect the players.
At a news conference late on Thursday night at the board premises, Mithun, accompanied by BCB director Iftekhar Rahman, stated, “Keeping the greater interest of cricket in mind, we will resume playing tomorrow (on Friday). They (the BCB) have assured us that they will reach out to him (BCB director M Nazmul Islam) and fulfil our demands as early as possible.”
Mithun reaffirmed in an interview with Cricbuzz that he is not concerned about security and that he wants the national squad to compete in the T20 World Cup next month. Due to security concerns, Bangladesh is requesting that its four World Cup preliminary matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
After Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Najmul Islam stated that they would not receive compensation if the squad was pulled from the mega-event in the event that the ICC refused to move its matches, the players in the nation boycotted the sport. The players haven’t accomplished enough to warrant a reward, he added.
“I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s the first time in my life. I don’t remember ever being involved in controversial talk. It’s going over my head – when have I ever spoken against the country?” Mithun said.
“I don’t know how to take this or describe it as it happens with me for the first time. I haven’t used any word that goes against the country; I only spoke for the interest of cricket and the players.
“There is no personal issue here. Since I’m the president of an organization, if I don’t talk about players’ rights, what’s the point of me being in this position? No one is above the country,” he added.
Mithun stated that although he hasn’t formally reported the threats to the BCB yet, he has learned that several other players have also received similar messages.
“I haven’t informed the board. To be honest, I am not picking up calls from unknown numbers on my mobile. But I can’t stop messages or voice notes on WhatsApp. I was asked about this there. It’s not just me; my number is available to people because it goes to the press on behalf of CWAB.
“That’s why I receive more (calls and messages). But I’ve heard from other players too that they have received threats, different ways and types of threats. I haven’t talked to the board about this yet,” he said.
“I don’t even know how to take help from law enforcement because I have never gone to a police station for any legal matter in my life.”
The contentious question of whether Bangladesh should go to India for the World Cup was then discussed. Mithun stated that he wants the team to compete in the major event, but not while the players are in danger.
“We definitely want player safety and security. We never want anyone to go and play under a life threat. We don’t want that. But at the same time, we want the player to play in the World Cup because a World Cup is a World Cup.
“I believe the board and the Government will take a decision keeping the players’ welfare in mind,” he said.
After bowler Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the IPL on the BCCI’s orders due to vague “developments all around,” Bangladesh is refusing to tour India, claiming security concerns.
After the ICC expressed reluctance to move Bangladesh’s four games in India to Sri Lanka, the BCB is currently in negotiations with the organization to find a solution.
