New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) Bangladesh's Sports Minister Aminul Haque has announced his intention to engage with the International Cricket Council (ICC) prior to making any definitive choices concerning the future of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Furthermore, he aims to form a second panel to probe the reasons for Bangladesh's absence from this year's men's T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka.

On March 11, the sports ministry initiated a committee to examine claims of irregularities, manipulation, and misuse of authority during last year's BCB elections. In response, the board contended on Monday that the establishment of this committee signifies governmental interference in its operations.

Haque, who previously captained the Bangladesh football team, remarked on Tuesday that the findings of the five-member committee, which are anticipated within 15 working days, will be evaluated before any further discussions with the ICC occur.

“It is well-known that there was direct interference from our former government during last year’s BCB elections. I have addressed this issue multiple times. In light of allegations from clubs in Dhaka and the districts, we have constituted an investigative committee. I will review their report; however, my next steps will follow my conversation with the ICC,” Haque stated, as reported by ESPNCricinfo.

Allegations of electoral manipulation surfaced during the elections, with former cricketer Tamim Iqbal and several Dhaka club officials asserting that there was interference. There were also allegations against BCB President Aminul Islam prior to the elections, including a letter where Aminul purportedly sought alterations to the councillors from specific districts. Tamim further claimed that the BCB extended the deadline for submitting nominations twice. He withdrew his candidacy on October 1, while Aminul refuted all accusations on October 5, just one day before the elections.

Haque indicated that the investigation will scrutinize how district officials altered their nominations in response to correspondence from BCB leadership.

“The investigation committee will interview the BCB election commissioners, the sitting board president, BCB directors, and the CEO. They will also connect with the district officials who nominated the BCB councillors. It has been alleged that many district administrators submitted the name of a new councillor after already nominating one, following receipt of a letter from Aminul. I believe a neutral investigation into these issues is essential,” Haque elaborated.

Concerning Bangladesh's withdrawal from the T20 World Cup, Haque stressed the importance of understanding the breakdown in sports diplomacy that led to the team's absence.

“We will investigate why we didn’t participate in the World Cup. We need to comprehend why our sports diplomacy fell short. We will assemble a committee to investigate this matter after Eid. It is crucial that we enhance our sports diplomacy to prevent such mistakes in the future,” he concluded.