BCB president Faruque was removed due to poor performance, not corruption: Adviser Asif

Faruque Ahmed’s removal as president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was not a disciplinary measure but a result of underperformance, according to Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.

He said, like underperforming players are dropped from teams, Faruque lost his position due to his inability to deliver the expected progress in cricket under his leadership, bdnews24.com reports. 

Speaking at the awards ceremony of the National Men’s Handball Championship on Saturday, Asif addressed the recent dramatic reshuffle at the BCB--a subject that has stirred intense discussion in the country’s sporting circles over the past three days.

Although the event was unrelated to cricket, most questions from reporters centred on the BCB presidency change.

The adviser met Faruque on Thursday night. The following day, at 11pm, the National Sports Council (NSC) withdrew its nomination of Faruque as a BCB director.

Since holding a directorship is a prerequisite for the presidency, he automatically ceased to be BCB president.

The next day, Aminul Islam Bulbul was swiftly nominated as director and then elected BCB president, fulfilling the procedural requirements.

This unusually rapid transition has been rare in Bangladesh’s cricket history and has sparked a wave of controversy.

Asif Mahmud maintained Faruque’s exit was strictly performance-related:

“Let me be clear, this is not a punishment. Over the past nine months since new leadership took over at the BCB, we’ve not seen the expected development in cricket. The national team won a historic series against Pakistan after the new government took office, but since then, we’ve been in steady decline.”

He continued, “It’s unfortunate. I’m not from the sports world, but I consulted ten stakeholders. Everyone said Faruque had the capability to lead. Based on those discussions, board members elected him. But our recent experiences, from the BPL to the broader state of Bangladesh cricket, make it clear the performance hasn’t met expectations.”

Drawing a comparison with football, the advisor remarked: “Football has experienced a resurgence under new leadership. The youth and sports ministry has provided support to all federations, but the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) utilised it effectively, generating excitement and hope around football. By contrast, cricket, our so-called ‘king sport’, has steadily deteriorated.”

He cited Faruque’s accountability in the mismanagement of the last BPL and a vote of no -confidence from eight of the nine BCB directors.

“The BPL investigation committee’s report revealed significant irregularities and negligence, and Faruque was found involved. The BCB needs a team spirit, but this clearly wasn’t the case.”

He also claimed that those aligned with a “fascist era” in the BCB fled after Aug 5, while remaining directors refused to work with Faruque, causing cricket’s decline.

Though allegations of financial irregularities against Faruque have surfaced in the media and online, Asif dismissed corruption as the reason behind his removal:

“I’ve spoken with Faruque personally. This decision wasn’t about corruption. It’s about performance. Just like a consistently underperforming cricketer isn’t kept in the squad, we couldn’t retain him either. We consulted stakeholders once again before making the decision.”

Faruque faced strong criticism early in his tenure over BPL mismanagement, which the advisor repeatedly referred to.

“You’ve all seen the report. The investigation committee, including BCB Director Nazmul Abedin Fahim, interviewed key stakeholders. Despite our ministry expressing concerns about certain team allocations, Faruque proceeded independently. Eventually, even the government had to intervene to ensure player salaries and hotel bills were paid.”

“It became an embarrassing situation. The chief advisor was scheduled to attend the BPL final but couldn’t due to the disarray—a shameful moment for us and the board.”

Faruque has claimed he was not given a chance to defend himself, but Asif countered: “I personally spoke with him. He couldn’t offer a defence when I asked.”

When reminded that no BCB president had ever been removed like this before, Asif pointed to the rules.

“Precedent doesn’t matter, what matters is the system. The NSC has the authority to nominate or withdraw directors. Based on the situation, we decided his nomination was no longer necessary. We didn’t remove the president, we rescinded his directorship.

“As a consequence, the presidency ended. We nominated a new director, and the board elected a new president per ICC guidelines and the BCB constitution.”

He reaffirmed the decision was made purely to improve cricket and not based on personal preference:

“It doesn’t matter what anyone says, what matters are the facts. Every journalist has reported on the BPL debacle. Based on those facts, we formed the inquiry committee. I believe every stakeholder, including the public, wants the best for Bangladesh cricket. That’s where my focus lies.”

“I didn’t know Aminul personally, nor did I know Faruque. I consulted ten key people when Faruque was appointed. But administratively, things didn’t function. Our cricket is sinking. This is a national concern. That’s why we reviewed the facts and made our decision.”

As for Aminul Islam Bulbul, the new BCB president, he has said he gave up his ICC job after receiving a call from the sports advisor.

Asif confirmed this. “I asked him if he wanted to work for Bangladesh cricket. We can’t match his ICC salary, this is an unpaid position. But he agreed. At the time, we hadn’t decided in what capacity. Eventually, the board followed due process and elected him.”

Asif added that this shake-up is meant to send a clear message to all sports federations: performance matters.

“Yes, this is a message to every federation. We’ve clearly said that each federation must submit two reports: an annual progress report and an audit. These will help us assess where support is needed. We must ensure transparency and performance.”

“Not only players—everyone, including myself, must be accountable. If I fail, I should be replaced. Federations must show progress. I cannot allow Bangladesh cricket to sink under my watch. I will use all powers available under the rules to prevent that.”

When asked about long-standing directors who remain at BCB despite controversies, Asif cited constitutional limitations.

“Of the 25 directors from the previous board, only nine remain. But under the constitution, we cannot remove elected directors.”

He expressed hope that the BCB elections in October would bring in qualified individuals.

“The district and divisional sports bodies are being restructured. BCB will also review club eligibility, especially those that no longer exist but have voting rights.

“I believe the election will bring in real organisers committed to cricket, not just one person, but 25 capable people.”