One Rahib Rahman Khan arrested by Mirpur Model Thana on Wednesday night against a case filed by Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan for harassing his wife gave birth to new questions being thrown at the door of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Rahib, along with his friends, were said to have mocked Shakib’s wife, Ummey Ahmed Shishir. The incident took place at the Grand Stand of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the first ODI between Bangladesh and India on Sunday during the rain interruption.
Shakib filing a case following the incident is not the major issue as he only did what a responsible husband should have done. However, questions are bound to arise – what happens to Shakib now for breaching the code of conduct of both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the BCB?
Shakib in his prompt reaction to the incident on that day charged towards Rahib and his friends with the help of the BCB security personnel. He first battered them with his bare hands then used his footwear on the paying spectators.
Other than the obvious indiscretion of laying hands on paying spectators, another question raised was how a player involved in an international game can exit the dressing room and enter the general viewing area and that too without the permission of the team manager.
According to the ICC’s code of conduct Shakib has committed a Level 2 offence. Punishment to this level of offence is financial penalty and suspension of upto two ODIs.
The BCB so far has been reluctant towards Shakib and it has raised quite a few eyebrows, including some board directors’. However, BCB acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told the media yesterday that the board will look into the matter upon completion of the Bangladesh-India ODI series.
On the other hand, Dhaka Tribune learned from different sources in the BCB that the law enforcement authorities had paid a visit to the board office at Mirpur in order to investigate the issue.
It was also learned that the incident had occurred after Shakib’s wife, Shishir, protested the ill comments thrown at her by Rahib and his friends. The group then replied to Shishir’s protest. The message was conveyed to Shakib who later took his anger out on the group. Question also rises as to how outside information entered the dressing room during the running of an international game.
Meanwhile, Rahib was released on bail yesterday evening and police were making concerted efforts to arrest the other individuals involved in this issue.
It was learned, Shakib was scheduled to attend a hearing called by the BCB following the conclusion of the third and final ODI against India at Mirpur yesterday.