Shakib says return home hinges on assurance against harassment

In an interview with bdnews24.com, Shakib speaks about the uncertainty surrounding his return home, the future of his cricket and political career, and more

For now, Shakib Al Hasan’s cricketing life continues on foreign soil, in franchise leagues far from the grounds where he built his name as Bangladesh’s finest all-rounder.

The 39-year-old, who recently attended the launch of the EU T20 Belgium tournament in Mumbai as captain of Royal Brussels, now lives in the United States with his family. Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on Aug 5, 2024, the former Awami League MP has not been able to return to Bangladesh.

In a lengthy telephone interview with bdnews24.com from Mumbai, Shakib spoke about the uncertainty surrounding his return home, the future of his cricket and political career, the ban on Awami League politics, the July Uprising, changes at the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and his family.

When you came to India, you must have felt the pull of home more strongly. You have probably been here before in the past year and a half as well. Does coming this close not make you want to return home even more?

Shakib Al Hasan: No, I did not really think like that. Whenever I came, I knew I had come for work. I came with that mindset — that after finishing the work, I would leave again. I always had a return ticket booked.

What stage is the matter of your return home at now? There was quite a bit of discussion about it some time ago.

Shakib: There is no discussion at all now. It has all gone away.

When discussions were going on, what stage had they actually reached? How much contact was there with you?

Shakib: The board would contact me. Who the board contacted — that is difficult for me to say.

When they were contacting you, what kind of discussions were taking place? How specific were they?

Shakib: They would say how they were trying, what they would do, and how they wanted to bring me back to the country.

Did those things seem realistic to you? Did it seem that they were genuinely trying?

Shakib: In Bangladesh, everything is real and everything is unreal. If someone wants to make something real, it becomes real. If they do not want to make it real, it does not.

When you hear things, everything seems real. But until something actually happens, none of it is real.

The way then board director Asif Akbar was speaking, it seemed bringing you back was only a matter of time.

Shakib: I have had a relationship with him for a long time. It existed before Aug 5, and even before that. I have probably known him since 2007, shortly after I entered the national team.

So that connection was there. He was also the one keeping in touch with me about my return.

But the same Asif Akbar said a few months ago that if Shakib wanted to return, he would have to return through some kind of process — that he would have to say something like, “My party committed murders, I did not,” or something along those lines.

Shakib: He has said many things at many times. I do not really dwell on these things.

Different people say different things at different times. Someone who speaks well of you today may speak badly tomorrow. The day after, that same person may speak well again.

I do not think there is much need to worry too much about these things.

You were seen in London cutting a birthday cake with him. Was there any discussion there about your return?

Shakib: That was actually completely coincidental. I was going to London; I think I arrived a day before him, or he had gone a day earlier — something like that. Since we were speaking regularly at the time, I came to know that he was also going, and so we met. It was nothing pre-planned.

After the board meeting on the 24th of January, it was suddenly said that you would again be considered for the national team subject to conditions…

Shakib: I do not know what “subject to conditions” means. Because no condition was given to me!

At the time, the board said you would be considered based on your “availability, fitness and accessibility”, and also on whether you had the capacity to be present wherever the matches were to be played…

Shakib: But those realities existed even before that board meeting!

That is why the question arises. Were you surprised that the same issue was announced again so formally? On the day the announcement was suddenly made, the ICC had officially included Scotland in the World Cup instead of Bangladesh, and board director Ishtiaque Sadeque had resigned that same day. Was your issue brought forward that day to overshadow those matters?

Shakib: Who knows! Since I stay far away from these incidents, it is difficult for me to say. When that board meeting was held, it was night where I was in the United States. I woke up and saw the matter.

As for being surprised… after everything I have seen, and am still seeing, in Bangladesh, nothing feels abnormal to me anymore. It feels like anything can happen in Bangladesh.

Let us go back a little. In October 2024, when you were on your way back to Bangladesh, you were returning because there had been some understanding with the interim government. Why were you suddenly told not to return after reaching Dubai?

Shakib: I boarded the plane knowing that everything was all right. I was going to the country after speaking to those who were in charge at the time. After landing in Dubai, I saw missed calls on my phone. I called back. From there, they said: “There has been a bit of a problem. It would be better if you did not come.”

I said: “All right, then what else can be done?” I stayed in Dubai for a day and then went back.

At that time, I saw a little in the news that there had been some “things” at Dhaka University and in front of the Mirpur stadium. I think 20 to 25 people, or at most 50, had staged some kind of protest.

Did that seem staged to you?

Shakib: Hmm… everyone tells me that. Although I am reluctant to believe it. But everyone says that.

If there were so many objections and problems over you, why was permission given earlier? How did everything change within a few hours? Did you later try to find out or ask about it?

Shakib: No. What could I really do by trying to find out so much? What had happened could not be undone by me at that point.

A few days before that, you had written something on Facebook, which seemed to be part of the understanding. Was there something in that post that they did not like?

Shakib: If they thought so, they could have said it. The status was posted with their “thing” in mind. It was written in a way that would make them happy.

Was there something that made them expect you to speak more directly?

Shakib: I do not really know. It is difficult for me to understand what is in someone else’s mind. But usually, when I write something, I do keep in mind what someone may or may not want. But I remain firm in what I believe. I do not think I have moved away from anything I have said so far, and there is no chance of moving away from any of it either.

Sorry that there is so much discussion about that period, but a lot of things need to be clarified. The then sports advisor, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, was mainly handling the matter of your return. He later said he had done the right thing by not allowing you to return. He also claimed that he had resolved your passport complications…

Shakib: No, no, the passport complication was not resolved. That information is wrong.

He himself later said that he did not let me come. He made that clear himself. I have nothing to say there.

He has said different things at different times. What I can say is that I was in contact with him. I tried my best, through communication, to see how I could return home. At one point, I felt that he was sincerely trying. Later, I felt that he did not want it. I do not know whose decision was whose among them. I mean, what their chain of command was, or whose word would decide what, was difficult for me to understand.

During the interim government, there was a visible rise in mob pressure. From your own experience, did you also think - what is going on in the country?

Shakib: Yes, these things were happening across the country. There is no denying it. Everyone says that. I still see it in the news. Three months have passed since the new government came in, but criticism of the previous government is still continuing.

From my own incident, I can understand that something that was supposed to go one way suddenly changed. In my case, their decision changed many times.

Even after Aug 5, you played for Bangladesh in Pakistan and India. You played while the interim government and Asif Mahmud were in charge. But after your return to the country was blocked, how did the path to playing abroad also become closed?

Shakib: Look, does it ever happen that a cricketer will not play at home but will play abroad for the country? Right now, for example, we have three or four consecutive series at home. I am not there, and then I will play in an away series — would that be right? You people would have raised questions then!

Were you offered the chance to play outside the country?

Shakib: Yes, [then BCB president Faruque Ahmed] said: “Play the West Indies series [in November-December 2024].” I said: “Brother, how would that actually look? It would not be good for you, and it would not be good for the team either.”

It is not as if I have never played before, and that I must play these two matches at any cost. If I play, I will play properly everywhere. Otherwise, I will not.

One issue cited in relation to your return, or efforts to bring you back, is that alongside the political case, you also have some personal cases involving the stock market, the ACC, and so on…

Shakib: I sometimes see these things in the news, that there are many problems. But no one can say anything in detail. For example, someone says there is “stock market manipulation”. So what is that? Has anyone been able to prove anything in two years?

There is one political case, a murder case. That too has not progressed in a year and a half. And there is a cheque-bounce case. That is a very basic thing — if you cannot pay an instalment, the bank files a case over the signed cheques it holds. That is a very normal matter, and it can also be rescheduled. Once the money is paid, the case ends.

My bank account has been frozen, so I cannot do that. Why is my bank account frozen? Maybe they felt it needed to be frozen for the sake of investigation. But that investigation has now been going on for a year and a half. They have found nothing so far. I believe there is no chance of finding anything.

If you listen to people, it sounds as if I have several thousand problems and that it will take decades to resolve them. But if there is willingness, how long can it take? Investigate. If guilt is proved, take action. If nothing is found in the investigation, give clearance, release me. If my account is opened, I can reschedule it and deposit the money tomorrow, and they will withdraw the case the day after.

The murder case is also at a normal stage now. An instruction will go to them from the law ministry or the home ministry asking whether I have any connection to the case or not. Since the charge sheet has not yet been filed, if they do not find any link, they will release me.

The case is over an incident in Adabor. I do not remember ever going to Adabor in my life. If I have no involvement, the investigating officer can report that I have no link to it. How long can that take? It is going on two years!

And if they think I sat in Canada, on the phone, and did something huge with some massive mafia group across the world, and if they show proof of that, then fine, put me on trial. Everything is possible if there is goodwill.

Since you are so confident about the cases, why are you not returning home? You could face them in person.

Shakib: With the cases I have, I do not think there is anything for me to do by coming to the country. Yes, I can seek bail in the ACC case. But thousands of people in the country have ACC cases like that, and they are moving around very comfortably, doing business, doing everything.

Are you not returning because you fear being arrested?

Shakib: Nothing feels abnormal anymore! Although I am hopeful that nothing like that will be done. As long as my guilt is not proved, there should not be any problem. But many things I thought would happen one way have happened another way. So nothing can really be said.

Tamim Iqbal, your former teammate and one-time friend, is now head of the BCB’s ad-hoc committee. Do you think there is any initiative he can take during this short tenure?

Shakib: It is difficult to say. This board’s main responsibility is to organise the election. It is not supposed to have much authority to take such a big decision.

After the election, the board that comes in will hopefully stay for four years. At least there will be stability in the board. Maybe then there will be room for communication to start again.

If Tamim is elected, will you expect a little more from him as a former teammate and friend?

Shakib: If he comes in, we will see then. There is no point thinking about it before he comes. In the past year and a half, I have thought about many things that did not happen. That is why I have stopped thinking. Whatever happens, I will deal with that when it happens.

The sports ministry perhaps has more scope to play a role here. Sports Minister Aminul Haque was also a player, one of the best goalkeepers in the country’s history. Have you spoken to him?

Shakib: The sports minister certainly has scope to play a role. Now, how much he wants to do, or whether he wants to do it at all, is up to him.

I did speak to him, and it seemed that he was very sincere about bringing me back. He told me to stay in touch with him. But recently, when I called, I did not get a response.

How much hope do you have now of returning home?

Shakib: I have complete hope. I will return. I hope I can return soon.

I will return, go to court, fight the cases. There is no problem. But they have to ensure my security. I can at least expect that much. I am not saying security means roads have to be closed for me or four police cars have to be in front of me. I am not asking for that. But there is such a thing as normal security — that I will not be harassed until the legal process is completed. That is all I expect. As an ordinary citizen, I can expect at least that much. If assurance is given tomorrow that I will not be harassed, I will go to the country the day after.

You have spoken at different times about the deaths and everything that happened during the July movement. Still, questions remain. Could you set out your position once more?

Shakib: First of all, I went to the United States before the World Cup [2024 T20 World Cup]. I had gone for two or three days in between. Later, I played Major League Cricket [in the US], and then I played Global T20 in Canada. I was away from the country for a long time, practically on the other side of the world. Naturally, all the news reached me later. Since I was busy with cricket, I did not know that much of the news either.

Secondly, at one stage, the internet was completely shut down. I was not very up to date either. Yes, I heard that protests were taking place, that people were dying, that a curfew had been imposed. But there have been many kinds of movements in Bangladesh at different times, and since I was not following this one deeply, I did not think about how serious it had become. I was inside the cricket environment. Perhaps if I had been in the country, I would have understood the depth of the situation, and then it would have been easier for me to take a stance.

What I understand is that everyone expected me to post a status on Facebook. If I had posted a status, many people would certainly have seen it, but would the situation have changed? The government had also asked me to post a status, and I was not asked to post in favour of the government. It was the kind of status about seeking a peaceful solution — something like what many cricketers posted. But would that have made a very big difference? I do not know.

What I always say is that every life is valuable. When one person dies in a family, it is difficult for anyone else to understand that family’s pain. Every human life is very important.

Now, so many children have died of measles — can you imagine? Every human life matters. Those who died among the protesters at that time, the police members who died, whoever died in whatever situation — everyone’s life matters.

Read the full interview in Bangla: কালকে যদি নিশ্চয়তা দেওয়া হয় হয়রানি করা হবে না, পরশুই দেশে ফিরব: সাকিব