Jalal Yunus has announced his resignation from the role of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director and the chairman of the cricket operations committee. His decision comes following a request from the National Sports Council, the control authorities of 41 different sports bodies of Bangladesh.
Yunus represented Bangladesh in the 1980s and has been actively involved in sports organizations since the late 1990s. The former fast bowler has held significant positions within the BCB since 2009. Notably, he took up the head of cricket operations in December 2021.
“I have resigned for the greater interest of cricket. I am all for cricket running properly and correctly. I am alright with their intention to replace me as per the constitution. I don’t want to be a stumbling block for cricket’s progress,” Jalal told ESPNcricinfo.
“I told them that since they nominated me as the NSC councillor and then I became a director, they have to do it. They can inform me of their decision regarding me,” he added.
Yunus became the first director to step down from the current board of Bangladesh cricket. It is worth noting that the board has faced scrutiny following the change in government amid the unrest in the country due to the student protests. As a result of the protests, the Awami League administration resigned two weeks ago.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, changes are expected in the board as BCB President Nazmul Hasan has spoken about his desire to resign. Meanwhile, Asif Mahmud, the Youth and Sports Adviser, paid a visit to the BCB headquarters and met the officials, staff members, and cricketers, and also met former captain Tamim Iqbal.
“You’ve seen that our Youth and Sports Adviser visited the BCB office today. He reviewed the board’s facilities and seems to have plans to visit other federations in the coming days,” BCB chief Nizamuddin Chowdhury said at the meeting.
“There was no specific discussion with anyone. The advisor spoke to several people in the BCB who shared their experiences,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chowdhury is optimistic that Bangladesh will be able to host the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 despite the ongoing protest in the country. Regardless, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is also exploring alternative venues to host the mega event.
“We are fully confident in our preparations to organize the Women’s T20 World Cup on schedule. The government has been proactive, contacting us on their first day in office. The Bangladesh Army has also assured us of full support and cooperation. We’ve informed the ICC, and they are satisfied with our preparations,” Chowdhury said further.
