Faruque promises reform at BCB, hopes to see Tamim play for more 2-3 yrs

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has gone through a major change on Wednesday as National Sports Council appointed Faruque Ahmed as new president of the board replacing Nazmul Hasan Papon.

Shortly after being appointed as BCB president, Faruque Ahmed, addressed the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, emphasizing that his top priority is to instill accountability within the board, which has been marred by allegations of corruption and arbitrariness over the past decade.

During the press conference he addressed many irregularities of previous board, adding,"I want to create a system where those things will not happen again. Our country has immense potential, and I will do my utmost to achieve it."

"I want to take steps to reform the constitution so that we can better serve those who love the game of cricket. We want to ensure that our actions speak louder than our words," he said.

The former president, Nazmul Hasan Papon, frequently asserted his influence over team selections and publicly analyzed the team's performance despite not being known as a person with enough technical expertise in cricket. Faruque promised he would not interfere in team selection.

"I will give the selectors maximum freedom," he said, though he also indicated he might occasionally offer his opinions on team selections. He cited Rishad Hossain as an example, suggesting he would be an excellent choice for the longer format of the game.

"But I won't make my suggestion obvious to the selectors," he added for clarification.

Regarding the come back of Tamim Iqbal, who has been grappling with fitness issues and had previously opted out of ODI World Cup in India, citing personal reasons and dissatisfaction with the country's cricket environment, Faruque Ahmed's comments suggest that the door might not be entirely closed for the star cricketer.

"Tamim is a valuable asset to Bangladesh cricket. If you ask me personally, I would love to see him continue playing for another two or three years," Faruque stated during his first press conference as BCB president. "But of course, it all depends on his fitness and his own desires. We will have discussions with him and the medical team to assess the possibilities."

Adding to the intrigue, Tamim was recently seen in the company of Asif Mahmud, an advisor to the Youth and Sports Ministry, sparking rumors that he might be considering a new role within the cricketing administration. Faruque did not dismiss these speculations, instead hinting at a potential future collaboration.

"If Tamim decides that his playing days are over, I would be more than happy to see him take up a role within BCB. His leadership qualities are undeniable, and having someone of his caliber involved in the board would be a great asset," Faruque added.

Previously, Faruque had expressed disapproval of Chandika Hathurusingha's role as Bangladesh's head coach. Addressing this in his first press meeting as president, Faruque reaffirmed his earlier opinion, creating a challenging environment for Chandika.

"We need to discuss this with the board," Faruque said regarding Chandika's future, making it clear he will not be the sole decision-maker on important matters, which is also a clear shift from the previous administration and reflects broader changes likely occurring across sectors in Bangladesh.