'Constitution <i>changes unethical'</i>

Former president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Saber Hossain Chowdhury speaks at a press conference at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel yesterday. Photo: STAR

Former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that the recent amendment of the BCB constitution was done in an undemocratic way and a couple of clauses drafted in it were immoral. He also said that it will create disharmony among different stakeholders of the country's most affluent sport federation.
“We are doing fantastic on the field. Our boys have recently won the one-day series against a full strength West Indies side. They have become the picture of national unity. But off the field we are painfully watching a clear division among the organisers. We are also witness to a lack of transparency in the manner in which amendments have been made to the BCB constitution,” said Saber at a press meet, his first in eight years, at Sonargaon Hotel yesterday.
The man who put Bangladesh cricket on a strong footing by winning Test status in 2000 broke his long silence at a time when the BCB constitution was taken to the treatment tables on a number of occasions to suit vested interests instead of the greater interest of cricket.
The latest one was in November when the National Sports Council (NSC), the regulatory body of the country's sport, vetted the BCB constitution with some highly objectionable clauses drafted into it.
Saber's words come after the High Court on December 13 stayed the BCB constitution asking the NSC why the amended constitution of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) should not be considered illegal.
According to the latest amendment, the top six Premier Cricket League teams have been granted two votes (councillorship) in the elections which is supposed to take place by February next year. The NSC also bent its rule of becoming a BCB councillor from districts or divisions, allowing councillorship to anyone from other districts or divisions. It has also given the authority to nominate a district or divisional councillor to that district or divisional commissioner. The NSC has unilaterally increased its representation of directors in the BCB board from one to three. Besides, the latest constitution dictates that the BCB president will be elected by the 27 (elected and selected) directors instead of by the councillors.
While explaining his position about all these amendments in the BCB constitution and defending his claim of undemocratic practice, Saber like many others raised the simple question about whether the present BCB incumbent Nazmul Hasan Papon made any recommendations from the board to the NSC regarding these amendments.
“A lot of people are talking about these amendments. Some are appreciating and some others are critical of it. But like many others I have not heard anything from the present board. And to the best of my knowledge the present ad-hoc committee did not sit and discuss about those amendments,” said Saber adding that he was keen to have a reaction from the BCB.
“I want to give the benefit of doubt to the present ad-hoc board. But at the same time we who believe in democracy believe that an interim body should not have the authority to make any fundamental changes. Any chance in the BCB constitution should be done through general council. And in that spirit we can say it was done undemocratically,” said the articulate lawmaker of the ruling Awami League.
He said awarding two votes each to the top six Premier League teams is unethical.
“I have read in a newspaper where someone argued that some clubs spend a lot of money and deserve more votes. If that is the case then Manchester United, being the richest club of England, should have all the votes in the FA. I'm not against the clubs and their contribution to our cricket is enormous. But this is not acceptable and you will not find such a case anywhere in the world.”
Regarding the district and divisional councillorship Saber said that the NSC has flaunted its own law.
“According to the NSC Act a district councillor should be a member of that district association and is supposed to hold any position of that association for three years. And he will be nominated by the general secretary of that district or divisional sports association. But now anyone from other districts can be a BCB councillor and more importantly to be selected by the district or divisional commissioner. It is not only against democratic practice but also against the spirit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) which has clearly stated that its representative boards should be free from political interference and elections should be free and fair,” said Saber.
He feared that by doing this a door has been opened to manipulate BCB elections.
“Suppose someone from this ad-hoc committee desires to contest the next BCB elections and he has got the access to choose the councillors from some areas. In that event it will be a case of judge, jury and executioner. And obviously it is not democracy and will put us under the scanner both home and abroad,” observed Saber.
The champion cricket organiser and administrator also lamented the clear division and dissatisfaction between the district and club organisers.
It was a mooted desire of Saber to contest the BCB presidency, but now he wants unity among the cricket organisers. He also urged the organisers to sit together to find out a solution like they did in the 2000 AGM, where they approved a constitution acceptable to everyone.
“It's not good to chop and change the BCB constitution. I can recall spending a lot of time before coming to a compromise in that AGM in Cox's Bazar where we
also adopted a resolution for an elected BCB president. It took 12 years to come to that point,” said Saber.
But like many others he is not sure the board is going to have a real
elected president if it is held under the present BCB constitution.