BCB assigns bodyguard for Shakib at practice after death threats

Bangladesh Cricket Board has assigned an armed security guard for Shakib Al Hasan after the all-rounder received death threats on social media.

The guard escorted Shakib during practice at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The board took the decision to put him at ease considering the situation and Shakib’s concerns following some unwanted incidents, said BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.

“We have taken the measure as precaution although we see the threats as personal and isolated incidents,” Nizam said. 

The guard will be next to Shakib when the cricketer moves, the BCB CEO said and hoped it would purely be a temporary measure.

The Rapid Action Battalion on Tuesday arrested a man who had threatened to kill Shakib on Facebook Live in Sunamganj for visiting a Kali Puja programme in Kolkata.

Shakib on Monday opened up about two controversial issues involving him on his

YouTube channel and apologised for his actions which gave rise to waves of criticism on social media.

One of the controversies was triggered when Bangladesh’s ace allrounder allegedly tossed away and broke the mobile phone of a fan while on his way to India at Benapole’s international immigration checkpoint.

The other incident for which Shakib was harshly criticised by some on social media occurred when he visited the Kali Puja in Kolkata. Those criticising the trip to Kolkata accused him of inaugurating the Puja ceremony despite being a Muslim.