BCB bans Rupganj owner Badal for life over ‘baseless’ comments

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has banned the owner of Premier Division Cricket League club Legends of Rupganj Lutfar Rahman Badal for life.

The board’s disciplinary committee in a media statement on Tuesday said the decision was made due to Badal’s ‘false and baseless’ comments towards Bangladesh cricket, the board and it’s chief.

He also hurt the reputation of Bangladesh cricket worldwide, the statement further read.

The BCB rushed a meeting of the disciplinary committee following suggestions of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan (CCDM) and the Umpires Committee on Tuesday night.

Apart from Badal, who will be having no part in all BCB cricketing activities from now on, joint executive of the Rupganj club Tariqul Islam Titu has been handed a five-year ban.

The club’s employee Sabbir Ahmed Rubel has been suspended for three years.

The other two are accused of intimidating umpires during matches.

The decision came minutes after he was temporarily banned from Premier Division Cricket League by the CCDM. It announced the move after a meeting in the evening.

After the meeting, CCDM Chairman AJM Nasir said they had recommended that the disciplinary committee hand down an exemplary punishment to Badal.

Following Rupganj’s loss to Prime Bank Cricket, Badal on last Thursday launched an incandescent attack on top BCB officials.

“They are all crooks. I believe all of them are thieves,” he had said.

He said the board chief Nazmul Hasan “is involved with manipulations regardless of his tall talk”.

Badal said in a media statement on Tuesday that he reacted emotionally while speaking to reporters after a match against Prime Bank at the BKSP.

“I sincerely apologise if my comments and reaction that day have hurt anyone,” he further said the statement.

Badal also offered apology to board chief in a written statement, but that did not save him.

“Nazmul Hasan is the guardian of cricket in Bangladesh. He will understand my cricketing spirit.

“I hope he will play a positive role in resolving the recent problem after my written statement. I firmly believe Bangladesh cricket will find success under his stewardship,” he said.

The BCB chief was critical of Badal’s remarks.

“It’s a different story if the allegations are proved. But if he cannot prove his claims, you can understand what the outcome will be.”

Badal also termed former Bangladesh captain, now a board director, Khaled Mahmud Sujon the ‘shame’ of Bangladesh cricket.

Dhaka Premier Division Cricket Club Association, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh and the Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association held a joint press conference demanding Badal’s ban.