The Bangladesh Cricket Board took a major decision to stop all operations of the Constitutional Reform Committee in its 17th board meeting. The match was held at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
The Constitutional Reform Commission came under scrutiny after proposing some overall changes to the board's constitution. The committee was chaired by BCB director Nazmul Abedin.
A few days ago, Dhaka club organizers also threatened to boycott the new constitutional reforms. Four days later, they even boycotted domestic First Division cricket, leaving the livelihoods of several local cricketers at risk.
Read also: Richard Illingworth has been named the ICC Referee of the Year 2024
The operations of the Committee for Constitutional Reform were stopped by the BCB
A five-member Constitutional Reform Committee was formed by the BCB, which was headed by Nazmul Abedin. The personal secretary of the chairman of the National Council for Sports, Saiful Islam, has become the member secretary of this committee.
The other three members of the committee are Kamruzzaman, the board's legal adviser, Supreme Court advocate Shyikh Mahdi and AKM Azad Hossain. However, the work of this committee has been suspended by the council so far.
There were some bold suggestions made by this committee, which included the dissolution of the CCDM and a significant reduction in the number of Category 2 councilors in the General Council.
In another reform, the committee called for a decrease in the number of directors representing Dhaka-based clubs from 12 to 4. This reform was highly contested by club organizers in Dhaka as they raised voices for a boycott.
The total number of directors would have been reduced from 25 to 21 under the proposed changes. As a result, the clubs took the decision to boycott the league. It prompted BCB to make quick decisions. The future of around 1500-2000 cricketers would have been put at risk if the league was postponed.
BCB director talks about suspension
BCB director Mhabub Anam said the constitutional reform commission's process needs transparency. He also mentioned that some changes are needed in the committee and more stakeholders need to be involved.
“They (the reform committee) did not present anything to the board of directors or the CNVM. The board felt that the (committee) process should be a little more transparent because the constitution is something where there can be no secrecy. “
“It is public information that will be public. We felt that their activities should be suspended and the discussion that is taking place should be stopped,” board director Mahbub Anam said following the meeting, Mahbub said.
“In the same way, the changes in the committees and their expansion are necessary because it is important that the stakeholders are involved, the board felt. In the light of them, these decisions were taken”.
“We will announce the committee's scope of work before any amendments and expansion decisions are executed. We have decided to suspend the activities of the constitution reform committee,” he added.
The BCB announced the standing committee and hinted at the possibility of interim elections. A no. of board posts are vacant which is headed by board chairman Faruque Ahmed.
Ahmed took over the role after former BCB president Nazmul Hassan left the country following the ouster of the Awami League government. Since then, Nazmul Hassan has not returned to the country.