Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has strongly criticised Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul, accusing him of abusing power and enabling government interference in the board’s upcoming elections, scheduled for October 6, 2025 .
The BCB election commission, led by senior Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Hossain, released the revised election schedule on Sunday, pushing the polls from October 4 to October 6. Election activities will formally begin on September 22 with the publication of the draft voter list, while the final list of candidates will be announced on October 1.
Tamim’s concerns
Speaking at a protest organised by former and current cricketers, Tamim alleged that deadlines and procedures had been repeatedly altered to benefit a certain group.
“A few days ago, I met with the sports adviser and I told him one thing only – I just want a fair election. Since then, what I have been witnessing at district and divisional levels, and even at clubs, is completely unacceptable. It seems that the government is intervening from various directions, and this needs to be publicly known,” he said.
He noted that councillor nomination deadlines were extended multiple times, sometimes unilaterally by the BCB president, bypassing the election commission. Tamim further accused Bulbul of signing letters that instructed removals of previous councillors, despite publicly claiming ignorance of election procedures.
Alleged political involvement
Tamim also pointed to the formation of ad-hoc committees that replaced the district administration’s role in councillor nominations – a move he said was unconstitutional. “If elections are conducted this way, it is no longer an election but a selection,” Tamim remarked, adding that letters from the National Sports Council (NSC) and other authorities showed a clear pattern of political interference.
“Cricket belongs to 180 million people of this country, not to any small group or political faction. There should be no bias, no government interference. Elections should be conducted fairly and transparently,” Tamim stressed.
Election process
The upcoming BCB polls will elect a 25-member board, with directors chosen by councillors representing clubs, regions, and districts. Two directors will be nominated by the National Sports Council, and the elected board will then select its president.
On his playing career
Addressing speculation over his own future, Tamim clarified that if elected to the BCB, he would no longer play competitive cricket. “There is no need for me to formally retire. Everyone understands that if I am elected to the BCB, I will no longer play cricket. But if there is a charity match elsewhere, I am still free to participate,” he said.
The last BCB elections were held on October 6, 2021, and with Tamim’s explosive remarks, this year’s polls are shaping up to be one of the most contentious in recent history.