Police on Wednesday night arrested a cricket fan after Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan filed a case for harassing his wife Shishir during the India-Bangladesh ODI, which took place on Sunday.
The individual, Rahib Rahman Khan, was arrested by police from Banani under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. He was however released on bail yesterday afternoon.
When contacted OC Salahuddin Khan of Mirpur police station confirmed these details and said: "The cricketer [Shakib] filed a women repression case, and there was one accused. The police arrested him and sent him to court from where he got bail today [Thursday]."
However, when contacted, lawyer of the accused Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder said that his client was innocent.
"There was a group of supporters who were shouting during the course of the game and my client, sitting in the same box, was not a part of that group. They might have had an exchange of words with Shakib Al Hasan's wife," Masud told The Daily Star yesterday. He however confirmed that there was a scuffle between Shakib and his client.
The unwanted incident occurred during the rain break in the first match when some fans in the stands taunted at Shakib's wife after the ace batsman got out cheaply. Upset with the incident Shakib reportedly came out from the dressing room and entered the crowd to confront spectators and reportedly physically assaulted some among them.
News of the clash was published in a number of national dailies the following day and it was presumed that the matter had been resolved in the playing arena.
Masud further stated that his client's parents had gone to the team hotel to meet with Shakib and explain the scenario, but their effort went in vain, a fact also confirmed by team sources.
It was learnt that match referee Roshan Mahanama sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in order to learn more about the incident. Mahanama's apparent interest in the issue may come from the fact that it is illegal for a player to leave the dressing room during the course of a match.
Several eye witnesses related that during the rain break in the first ODI on Sunday, spectators near the dressing room were jeering at the Bangladesh players, and Shakib in particular, to which his wife -- also in the stands -- reacted, and from there started the unsavoury series of events. It is a rare event that a player in an international match starts a physical fight with paying spectators, who have the tendency to be rowdy the world over.
While harassing women is always to be condemned, many questioned why there was yet to be any disciplinary sanctions on Shakib. Regarding the matter BCB's acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said: "Initially we thought that it was a misunderstanding but now we have to learn the versions of both the parties. We have not decided to remain silent on the matter. We will take our action in due course of time."
This was not the first time that Shakib hit the headlines for his controversies. During the second ODI against Sri Lanka in February, Shakib made a vulgar gesture to a live TV camera and was subsequently banned for three matches. He was also in hot water during the ICC World Twenty20 when he gave a controversial interview to a Bangla daily.