Arifa Jahan Bithi, Manager of the Rangpur Divisional Women's Cricket team, was dismissed by the Rangpur Division Sports Council on accusations of being an 'anti-government activist' after she supported the family of anti-discrimination movement martyr Abu Sayeed.
Bithi runs a women's cricket academy, the first of its kind in Bangladesh. Players from her academy participate in various domestic events, including the Premier League, NCL, First Division, Second Division, and age-level teams. She has been working as the manager of the Rangpur Division Women's Cricket team, the Under-16 Women's Cricket team, and the Rangpur Division team in the Women's National Cricket League (NCL). She joined the anti-discrimination movement on July 17 and 18.
"I went to meet with the family of Abu Sayeed (the first martyr of the movement) on July 17 to hand over some monetary help to his family and distribute biscuits and water among the students of the movement," Bithi told the reporter on Wednesday.
The NCL was scheduled to begin on August 16 but was postponed. She was still the manager of the team and had been working with them. According to her, before the anti-discrimination movement started, the BCB had informed her that the event would begin on August 16.
"But after joining the movement, the Rangpur Divisional Sports Council informed me on July 30 that they no longer required my services because I was engaged in anti-government activities. I was also removed from the NCL team," she explained.
She noted that there is no written agreement for such positions in the Women's NCL and Women's Domestic leagues. These appointments are made orally, and she was dismissed verbally.
Advocate Anwarul Islam, General Secretary of the Rangpur Divisional Sports Council, claimed that they are waiting to resume the event. He said, "Things are not yet final, and the event is now postponed. If a new start date is announced, she will be with us."
