The Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan ruled- out the existence of the District and Divisional Sports Organisers Forum, popularly known as the "Forum". The forum had threatened to boycott all activities under the BCB if there is any interference in the nomination of councillors ahead of upcoming election but Nazmul's comments might fire criticism in spite of the fact that his comments are to the point.
Nazmul said that the forum's demands were not viable as per the constitution.
"I don't recognize forum, I recognize the district only. I can only operate the way it's written in the constitution. I can't just become the president of a DSA (Divisional Sports Association) because I feel that I should be, it wouldn't be right. I don't know how they can interfere with the Board's process," said Nazmul to the media yesterday at Sher-e-Bangala National Cricket Stadium after a photo session with the A team cricketers who are due to depart.
"There is no such thing as 'forum' in the constitution. The constitution has guidelines of how a councilor should come up," he added.
Nazmul re-narrated the primary steps that the BCB ad-hoc will take after the Eid vacation. Letters will be sent to District and Divisional Sports Associations asking them to nominate their councilors and the National Sports Council will also be asked to take necessary steps to form an election commission.
Nazmul, who is a leading contender for the post of BCB president, claimed he had made no preparation for his run in the poll and reaffirmed that his job was to conduct the election. However, one of Nazmul's close associates, BCB ad-hoc member IH Mallick told the media that the panel under the leadership of Nazmul would be made public right after the grand Iftar of another leading contender for the post of the BCB boss, Saber Hossain.
Preparing to host the ICC World Twenty20 was one of the major task of the BCB ad-hoc. Asked if the tensions associated with the election were hampering the progress of preparing for the event, Nazmul said, "We have finished nearly all the work needed to get the venues right for the ICC. It was only the venues in Sylhet and Cox's Bazaar that faced major issues, but this is not being hampered as there isn't much work to be done for the election, to be honest. After we get the names of councilors, we will forward them to the NSC and the rest will be done by them."
Before facing the press, Nazmul met the Bangladesh 'A 'team cricketers who will leave for England today for a three-week tour. The 15-men second tier squad is mostly made up of talented players who have yet to break into the national squad, and with a home series against New Zealand looming, the tour will give the players a chance to impress the selectors.
Nazmul talked to the team for about 30 minutes and gave them a message of "Prove yourself and you'll be rewarded.""
