The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the formation of a committee to probe the harassment accusations raised by former national women’s team captain, Jahanara Alam. In a press release issued on Thursday, the BCB expressed concern over the reported allegations made by a former member of the Bangladesh National Women’s Cricket Team regarding alleged misconduct by certain individuals associated with the team.
Due to the sensitive nature of the matter, the BCB has decided to establish a committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations. The committee is expected to present its findings and recommendations within 15 working days, as stated in the press release.
During a social media interview on Thursday, Jahanara claimed that she had been subjected to inappropriate advances by members of the national team management during the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup. She accused former national pace bowler Manjurul Islam, who previously served as the manager and selector of the women’s team, of sabotaging her career in the national team because she rejected his advances.
Residing in Australia currently, Jahanara also implicated late Towhid Mahmud and another board official, Sarfaraz Babu, of making indecent proposals towards her. She mentioned that she had reported these incidents to the women’s wing chairman, Nadel Chowdhury, and had also written to BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury regarding the harassment she had experienced.
In response to the allegations, Manzurul denied them in an interview with international news media Cricbuzz, dismissing them as baseless. Similarly, Babu expressed his disappointment, urging Jahanara to provide evidence for her claims instead of making groundless accusations.
The BCB emphasized its commitment to providing a safe, respectful, and professional environment for all players and staff. The board reiterated its serious stance on such matters and stated that it would take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation.
Previously, Jahanara had made allegations against the current women’s team captain and coaches in an interview with a Daily publication. The BCB had refuted these allegations in a press release issued last Tuesday, labeling them as baseless, fabricated, and lacking any truth.
Following the recent accusations, the BCB has decided to initiate an official investigation by forming a committee to address the allegations of misconduct.