Bangladesh cricket in crisis: Players stick to boycott threat despite BCB action against Nazmul Islam

By Sandy Verma On Jan 15, 2026

NEW DELHI: After Bangladeshi players threatened to boycott Thursday’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a show-cause notice to its director M Nazmul Islam.

Islam questioned the commitment of national cricketers that triggered strong reactions from former players.

The show-cause notice was issued just a few hours before the day’s scheduled BPL matches. Meanwhile, the players’ association CWAB has demanded a nationwide boycott of all cricket formats unless M Nazmul Islam resigns from his position.

Bangladesh Cricket Crisis: Live: Cricketers adamant on not taking to the field (BPL).
BCB director M Nazmul Islam has been making defamatory statements about the national team cricketers. In protest against his behavior and incoherent remarks, Bangladesh Cricketers Welfare… pic.twitter.com/tEPg7rDmlx
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 15, 2026

“The board has already initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against the board member concerned,” the BCB statement read. “A show cause letter has been issued, and the individual has been instructed to submit a written response within 48 hours. The matter will be dealt with through due process and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the proceedings.”

What sparked controversy?

Najmul had last week described former captain Tamim Iqbal as an “Indian agent” after the Bangladesh great advised the BCB to not be driven by emotion while deciding the way forward on the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup in India.

The comments quickly drew criticism on social media, with several former Bangladesh internationals expressing disappointment and calling for greater accountability and sensitivity from board officials.

Responding to the backlash, the BCB issued a statement expressing regret over remarks that may have been deemed inappropriate or hurtful, stressing that they do not reflect the board’s values or official position.

“The BCB does not endorse or take responsibility for any statement unless it is formally issued through the board’s designated spokesperson or the Media and Communications Department,” the Board said, adding that comments made outside authorized channels are personal in nature.