What justification did BCB offer for modifying Towhid Hridoy’s punishment?

His ban was cut, restored, then finally suspended for a year in an unprecedented move

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has finally offered an explanation for the repeated changes to Towhid Hridoy’s suspension, a saga that stirred significant controversy in domestic cricket.

After initial decisions by the Umpires Committee were overturned, the BCB’s Technical Committee reinstated the original suspension but deferred its execution for one year.

The chaos began during a Dhaka Premier League match on Apr 12, when Hridoy was banned for one match after arguing with umpires.

He then criticised the officials in the post-match interview, leading to an extension of the suspension to two matches.

Soon after, it was abruptly reduced again—allegedly due to pressure from Mohammedan, who remain locked in a tight title race with rivals Abahani.

Hridoy served one match and played two more before the decision was reversed yet again.

This meant that Hridoy would now be suspended for one more match, scheduled for Saturday against Gazi Group Cricketers.

The reversal prompted a strong, though unofficial, backlash from the umpiring community.

Sources claimed that Bangladesh’s only ICC elite panel umpire, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, either resigned or intended to do so in protest.

Meanwhile, the board had made no public comments, leaving the cricketing community relying on media leaks and speculation.

On Friday, with rumours swirling and pressure mounting, dozens of cricketers from different teams gathered at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

After lengthy discussions, four representatives, including former Mohammedan captain Tamim Iqbal, met BCB President Faruque Ahmed to raise concerns over the confusion surrounding Hridoy’s suspension, along with other incidents where players felt they had been “disrespected”.

Following the meeting, at 9:30pm, the BCB issued a press release confirming that Hridoy’s original two-match ban would remain in place but would be deferred by one year.

The board explained that the Umpires Committee’s 19 Apr directive had been declared invalid and was therefore scrapped by the Technical Committee, which opted to reinstate the earlier decision under existing technical guidelines.

“In light of the confusion and procedural disruption caused by the now-nullified memo, and after careful deliberation, the Technical Committee for the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2024-25 has resolved to defer the enforcement of the two-match suspension over a 12-month period,” the statement reads.

It added, “This considered approach was adopted with the intent to uphold the integrity of the game, support the continuity of the current tournament, and promote a spirit of unity and sportsmanship within the cricketing community.

“The Technical Committee remains committed to ensuring that all decisions uphold the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and alignment with BCB regulations.”

The press note further clarified that the now-defunct directive from the Umpires Committee was inconsistent with established procedures, and thus any recommendation or decision within that document would not be recognised or enforced.

Under Clause 14 of the league’s General Information, the Technical Committee holds the authority to amend rules and codes of conduct, ensuring that Hridoy is now free to play without restriction.

Whether this settles the matter or more twists lie ahead, remains to be seen.