Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan has shown solidarity with Mushfiqur Rahim’s decision to take legal action against Ekattor TV.
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiq Saturday served a legal notice to Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and news television channel Ekattor TV.
In the notice, Mushfiq claimed that a news report under the title/caption/headline “মিরপুর টেস্টে স্পট ফিক্সিংয়ের গন্ধ! সন্দেহ সিনিয়র ক্রিকেটারের দিকে! – both in words and through images, made serious derogatory and defamatory remarks against the cricketer.
The legal notice was served to the Head of News, Sports Editor and Reporter of Ekattor Television through email on behalf of Mushfiq.
“I have always been portrayed as the villain whenever I have punished or taken steps against someone. The people don’t want this. Did anyone ever support us [BCB] after taking a right step? I was waiting for this awakening. You all are understanding what is right and wrong. I have said this before, we need to take some decisions to bring cricket back on track, which however, the people won’t like. Everyone will criticize me. Is there any discipline now? We need to fix these. BCB never got the support,” said Nazmul to the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Many other reports by the same channel have irked the BCB, informed Nazmul.
Ekattor TV previously reported that Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha’s son’s involvement with the team ahead of the New Zealand series was a breach of anti-corruption protocol.
The report had also claimed that Hathurusingha’s son could be linked to a betting syndicate and can pass on team information.
Nazmul during the media interaction informed that the channel’s report on Hathurusingha physically and mentally abusing spin bowler Nasum Ahmed during the recently concluded Cricket World Cup in India was also false.
This did not go down well with the media personnel as the incident has widely made rounds in the fraternity and members from inside the dressing room have also acknowledged the event.
It is understood that left-arm spinner Nasum talked about the incidents with the special committee formed by the BCB to find the facts behind Bangladesh’s horrible performance in the World Cup.
“I don’t know [Hathurusingha-Nasum incident]. I never heard of it until the report was published by the channel. It is a big lie that I have threatened the coach. Why will I speak of something that is a lie?” said an irate Nazmul.
“But the situation is changing now. Before the people used to get happy when they were fed a lie. You all are journalists, so please do your research. They are tired of these reports and now saying ‘they are destroying cricket’. We want the people to know and understand that BCB will take its course of action.
“Hathurusingha’s son had come here as intern. There are multiple problems in this and I don’t want to simply blame the media. I have distanced myself from the media and this has stopped the board’s interaction with the media. No one from the board now talks to the media and that is creating confusion.
“Slowly things are getting clear to the general public. There is always a limit to everything and when the limit is crossed, it becomes something else but not journalism.”