BCB all set to go for sweeping changes
While everyone has been enchanted by the razzmatazz of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20, major changes are about to take place in the running of Bangladesh cricket, as a proposal for major amendments to the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) constitution will be placed before the councillors for approval during today's Annual General Meeting (AGM) at a luxury hotel in the city.
The AGM will be followed by an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). And apparently it seems that the proposals, prepared by the constitution committee headed by Dewan Shafiul Arefin, will be approved without any hurdle in the highest forum of the board and if that is the case then professionalism will take a back seat in the board's activities. Besides, keeping in line with the ICC's (International Cricket Council's) recommendations there is a proposal for the president of the board to be elected through a democratic process. Presently, the board president is a government nominee.
The amendment proposed in the draft constitution is the replacement of the post of 'chief executive officer' (CEO) with that of chief operating officer (COO), curbing his authority over executive power.
According to the proposal, the post of the chief financial official (CFO) will be abolished and the Finance Committee chief, instead of the CEO or the to-be COO, will look after the financial issues.
The proposal, if approved, will slash the executive power of the top official which means that the board activities will be run by amateurs instead of professionals.
Earlier, BCB president AHM Mustafa Kamal subtly shifted from his refreshing 'professionalism' stance after the last AGM, suggesting the position of the CEO could soon become history.
And then he also mentioned that if the board moved the position from CEO to COO, there would not be any difference in its job description. In reality, however, COO will be a glorified clerk in the board.
There are some run-of-the-mill issues on the amendment list. But the most heart-breaking recommendation is the deletion of Clauses 9.3.8 and 9.3.9 -- which allow former cricketers the right to become councillors of the board -- from the board's constitution. The proposal, if approved, will ensure that there would be no cricketer-councillors, which were 15 in the present constitution.
The focus will also be on the proposal of the much-desired regional cricket associations with a view to decentralise cricket administration in the country which has been the centre of discussion regarding BCB's policy-making since it's elevation to Test status in 2000. If it is approved, then there will be no existence of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) as the administrative zone will be divided into eight zones including the seven divisions and Dhaka Metro.
If the proposal is approved in the EGM today, then it will be sent to the National Sports Council for adopting it and issuing as gazette.
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