Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has spoken out regarding the public anger directed at ace cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, saying that he finds no illogicality in the outrage.
The allrounder was scheduled to return home on Thursday to play in the first Test of the upcoming Bangladesh-South Africa series in Dhaka, which he had announced would be his last match in the format.
However, due to protests against him over his role during the student-led demonstrations that toppled the previous government of Sheikh Hasina, the celebrated cricketer was forced to cancel his plan to return home.
A group of demonstrators, mainly students, submitted a letter warning the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to allow Shakib to play on home soil.
Meanwhile, his supporters chanted slogans in his favour on Friday.
“There has never been a player like Shakib in Bangladesh’s history,” Asif Nazrul said during a program aired by private TV station Channel I. “He could have been the most popular man in Bangladesh’s history. But due to his involvement with a fascist government, things changed,” he added.
Asif Nazrul suggested that Shakib’s role in the previous government has affected his ability to maintain the stardom he once enjoyed.
“I just can’t believe it… When people were being killed, when there was so much pain, anger, and suffering everywhere, he posted that he was ‘enjoying life at’—I don’t even know where. How can a human being do that?” Asif Nazrul said, referring to a social media post Shakib shared during the protests, showing him enjoying his life in Toronto.
“And then there’s the involvement in betting, the unruly behavior… Sometimes I feel people will say I’m talking too much, but I think Sheikh Hasina is also responsible for this. She created a system where anything can be forgiven, and anyone can get away with things if they are loyal to her. It can confuse anyone, and that might have happened to Shakib. I feel for him, but the anger directed at him doesn’t seem unjustified,” Asif Nazrul added.
During Bangladesh’s recent tour of India, Shakib announced his retirement ahead of the Kanpur Test, expressing his desire to play his last Test in front of the home crowd.
However, he also voiced concerns about his safety in Bangladesh due to his political affiliations and his involvement during the protests, which the Sheikh Hasina government attempted to suppress with brutal force, leading to the deaths of at least a thousand people.
