Hassan perplexed by Shakib’s allegations and the timing

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan yesterday said that he is yet to see the interview that Shakib Al Hasan gave to Cricfrenzy, an online news portal, on Saturday.

"I don't know. They [board directors who were at a meeting with Nazmul at his residence in Gulshan on Sunday night] told me about it [the interview] but I did not see it, heard it or read about it. They came to the meeting about the New Zealand tour and then said that Shakib said this and that. I told them that I do not have any other thoughts except for the New Zealand tour as the next ODI is tomorrow (Tuesday). I cannot say anything about it now. Let the series finish or at least let tomorrow's match end and then I will talk about it [Shakib issue]," Hassan told The Daily Star.

But Hassan heard bits and pieces of that interview in the media and from board directors, and the BCB boss questioned how a national player can say anything against any of the former national team members.

"He [Shakib] is the team's best player. Now, being a national player who was also the team's captain once, he cannot say anything against the team. According to the rules, he cannot do that. He has signed an agreement with us and it clearly mentions that he cannot say anything against the board or any board member. This is what the rules entail. Forget the rules, as a person, one should have minimum respect towards the seniors. Why would I, being a national player, say anything against players like Akram [Khan] or [Naimur Rahman] Durjoy? Just because you [Shakib] are a good player, does that give you the authority to say anything against them? If he had anything to say, he could have said it in person to them," added Hassan.

The BCB president also wondered why the issue of Shakib participating in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and skipping the Sri Lanka Tests has suddenly resurfaced after he had already been given an NOC.

"I don't know why he said all these things all of a sudden. According to myself, there is no basis for these things coming to the fore now. Many supported this and many did not [Shakib skipping Sri Lanka Tests for IPL]. But all those discussions stopped and the whole topic came to an end. I actually don't find any logic behind bringing this topic back and blaming board directors by name.

"What has happened suddenly that he had to say things by naming Akram or Durjoy and by questioning Durjoy's performance for the development of HP squad? I don't understand the ill-timing of this topic. It came up just after Bangladesh lost to New Zealand [in their first ODI]? I actually can't believe it."

Hassan also wondered why players always inform the board of their intentions regarding skipping a tour right at the last moment.

"When he [Shakib] said that he did not want to tour South Africa [back in 2017], we were a bit shocked. We needed to think and get a few players ready beforehand. We needed to play a few other players before that to make them ready for such a series. We were also shocked when we heard about his ban at the last moment just before the India series. Now he shocked us by saying at the last moment that he does not want to go to Sri Lanka. These things are actually unexpected. And then, Tamim, after going to New Zealand, is saying he won't pay T20s. I mean what is the problem if they let us know beforehand?" said Hassan.

And according to Hassan , while players have the right to choose which format or which series they want to play, it still is the foremost duty of a player to put his national team before any franchise league.