‘I would have easily won BCB election’

Bangla Press Desk: Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has claimed he would have “easily won” the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election had he decided to contest, while questioning the credibility and transparency of the entire process.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Dhaka Club Cricket Organisers Association (DCCOA) in Gulshan on Wednesday, Tamim said he and several other councillors stepped aside for the greater good of cricket, but the outcome revealed a “prearranged” election.

“I can guarantee that if I had personally contested, I would have easily passed,” Tamim said. “It wasn’t about who was on my side or who was against me — even then, I was confident I’d win. But we didn’t want to be part of an election that wasn’t transparent.”

Tamim, who along with Major (retd) Imrose Ahmed and SM Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan withdrew before polling day, alleged irregularities and government interference throughout the process.

The country’s most successful ODI opener was particularly critical of the e-voting system, branding it “laughable.”

Tamim said he had turned down several offers to contest on various panels, choosing instead to call for a fair and open process.

“I had plenty of offers on the table. If I wanted, I could have taken them,” he said. “But I wanted an open, credible election — one that everyone could trust.”

“The biggest sufferers will be the cricketers who depend on these leagues for their livelihood,” Tamim said. “Those who conducted this election must ask themselves whether the process served cricket’s interests or their own. Cricket deserves better.”

“If the election had been fair, people who truly care about developing cricket would have been elected. The question isn’t about us — it’s about how this election was held and what it means for Bangladesh cricket,” he concluded.

BP/SP