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Published : 03 May 2026, 10:57 AM
Even after the fall of the Awami League government, Shakib Al Hasan says he had considered running for parliament in this year’s general election.
However, the cricket icon claims he eventually backed away from the idea due to the circumstances. Still, the former Awami League MP and ex-captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team believes the people of Magura will give him another chance.
Shakib was elected to parliament from the Magura-1 constituency in January 2024 as an Awami League candidate. However, that parliament lasted less than seven months. On Aug 5 that year, the Sheikh Hasina-led government was toppled by a student-led mass movement.
Shakib, who was abroad at the time, could not return home. His political career is also currently on hold. However, the 39-year-old cricketer is keen to revive it when the time comes.
In an interview with bdnews24.com over the phone, the cricketer, often considered the country’s greatest, clearly stated that he is committed to Awami League politics and believes the party’s ban will be lifted.
Before the 2024 election, Shakib had many dreams about what he could do for Magura. He still cherishes those dreams and firmly believes he will get the opportunity to become a public representative from Magura once again.
“I have lived my whole life for the people of Magura. The people of Magura will give me another chance. Even when I don’t get the chance… even then, if I can do good, maybe they will give me more chances. I think that once I get the chance, the work that I will do will mean that I won’t have to prove it again.
“I believe — 100 percent — that if I ran there [Magura], I would win. If there is a fair election, the people would cast their votes for me.”
With that in mind, he said he had considered contesting this February’s election.
“I was eager to compete in this election. I thought that I would run for office and show everyone the level of support. Then, I thought that they wouldn’t let me compete. Besides, the party also made a decision, and you cannot deviate from it. Otherwise, I would have run for office and demonstrated the support I have.”
