Fresh contract for selectors

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is all over the news for the last month and unfortunately most of the time it has been for the wrong reasons. The trend continued as the recent decision of extending the selectors' tenure for three months took center stage and generated much discussion.
Following the criticism over the brief extension, BCB's president AFM Mustafa Kamal and director and cricket operations committee chairman Enayet Hossain Siraj met with the selectors on Thursday.
And that 'amicable' discussion ended with a promise.
"We have discussed about a lot of issues including World Cup preparations. There is a plan to start the preparation from August 20 after Jamie Siddons returning from his holiday," informed Siraj.
"Yes, the contract issue was also discussed and what we told that we will give everybody a fresh contract and there would be no question of short-term or long-term contracts. We are going to appoint a bowling and a fielding coach very soon," informed Siraj yesterday.
What Siraj hinted was that there is no chance of bringing changes to the current selection panel and that was the reason they conducted extensive discussions with the selectors about team selection and preparation for the 2011 World Cup, where Bangladesh is one of co-hosts along with India and Sri Lanka.
It was not possible to get the other side's versions since chief selector Rafiqul Alam has proved unreachable for the last few days and the other selectors were also not ready to make any comments on the issue.
But it was learnt that the authority woukd take seven days and engage in unofficial meetings to solve the issue.
The Rafiqul Alam-led selection panel has already come under huge scrutiny after the Tigers ignominious defeats against Ireland and Netherlands. And the whispering was all around that this selection committee accepted the interference from the board high-ups regarding team selection, which virtually affected the team's performance in recent times.
Many have already termed it a 'puppet selection committee'.
"They should resign from their post after the way the board dishonored them if they have some self-respect," said a board insider on condition of anonymity.
On one hand the board have been keeping faith on this selection committee despite dissatisfaction over their performance while on the other hand the selectors have also been unhappy with the board interference though they have not had the guts to protest the notion.