M Najmul Islam back in the firing line

Bangla Press Desk: Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) controversial Finance Committee Chairman, M Najmul Islam, finds himself in hot water once again after a series of reckless allegations aimed at his fellow committees.

Najmul is no stranger to friction. 

In the recent past, he faced a scorched-earth revolt from players following a series of degrading remarks. The fallout was so severe it triggered a BPL boycott, only resolved when the BCB hierarchy promised the players that the agitator-in-chief would be dealt with. 

Initially, the board appeared to follow through, relieving Najmul of his duties. However, in a move that felt like a slap in the face to the dressing room, he mysteriously clawed his way back into the Finance Chairman’s seat following a board meeting on 24 January.

The players, understandably, feel betrayed. 

In cricketing circles, Najmul has earned the mocking moniker “Coconut Najmul”—a nod to his bizarre crusade against player coconut consumption, which he deemed an "excessive" expense. 

Now, he has expanded his hit list, pointing fingers at the Umpires Committee and the Game Development Committee.

In a recent interview with Ekhon TV, Najmul took aim at what he termed "abnormal" pay hikes for match officials.

“If I look at the issue of umpires, two years ago an umpire whose salary or match fee was 700 dollars now has a match fee of 2,000 dollars... To me, these progressions are actually abnormal. If I give someone an increment, there must be a limit. I have to increase it in line with my surrounding circumstances,” Najmul claimed.

He didn't stop at the payroll. Najmul then turned his scrutiny toward the Under-19 programme, casting doubt on the integrity of equipment procurement.

“If you talk about cricket gear, if the price of a pair of shoes is considered to be Tk30,000... for a rising star, that boy may not even spend Tk30,000 in a whole year, yet a pair of shoes worth Tk30,000 is allocated for him,” he said. 

“I do not know whether this money was given directly to them or actually spent, but through the board, this money has been taken out.”

The insinuation of financial impropriety has sent shockwaves through the BCB. Several directors have already registered their disgust with BCB President Aminul Islam, labelling the remarks as outright insulting.

Umpires Committee Chairman Iftekhar Rahman was particularly scathing in his rebuttal. 

Speaking to the Daily Sun on Thursday, Iftekhar questioned whether Najmul even understood the basic economics of modern cricket.

“Does he know what he is talking about? I’ve said today that he doesn't even know how much USD2,500 is,” Iftekhar fumed. 

“One of the top 10 umpires in the world, an Elite Panel umpire from Bangladesh—how much will you give him? Will you give him Tk200?”

Iftekhar also dismantled Najmul’s ignorance regarding the cost of professional gear.

“Expensive shoes were given to the pace bowlers. If you wear good shoes, you won't have spinal problems. Go online and check the price of Adidas shoes for pace bowlers. If it sells for Tk30,000 in Dhaka, where is the issue? He even insulted us by asking if they pocketed the money,” Iftekhar said, adding that Najmul's grasp on bat pricing was equally detached from reality. 

“He doesn't even know that a Tk60,000 bat is not a top-quality bat. The price of a top-quality bat is Tk1.5 to 2.5 lakh.”

With the board’s patience reportedly at its limit, several directors are expected to meet with President Aminul Islam today. 

After this latest round of bridge-burning, it would be no surprise to see Najmul replaced by a director from the division category .Source: daily Sun

BP/SP