Restoring cricket's image is top priority: Tamim Iqbal

Newly appointed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) ad-hoc committee chief Tamim Iqbal declared on Tuesday that restoring the tarnished reputation of Bangladesh cricket is his foremost priority, acknowledging that the sport's image has suffered significant damage over the past 18 months.

The former national team captain made the remarks during his first press conference at the BCB headquarters in Mirpur, hours after the National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the board of directors led by Aminul Islam Bulbul and formed an 11-member ad-hoc committee with Tamim at the helm.

"Whenever someone takes on such a responsibility, they usually talk about development and various plans. But my team and I collectively feel that our first task is to fix the image of Bangladesh cricket. The reputation that has been damaged over the past one to one-and-a-half years is the most important thing for us to restore," Tamim told reporters after chairing the committee's inaugural meeting, which was attended by six members in person and five others online.

The ad-hoc committee has been tasked with organizing a free and fair BCB election within three months while ensuring uninterrupted management of the board's daily operations. Tamim emphasized his commitment to fulfilling both mandates with urgency and integrity. 

"We have been given the responsibility of organizing a fair and impartial election within three months. We will carry out this duty as honestly and as quickly as possible," he said, adding that pressing matters including World Cup-related issues would also be addressed.

The former opening batsman reiterated his concern about the current state of Bangladesh cricket, expressing confidence that stakeholders share his assessment. 

"I am sure you all believe that cricket has been harmed and its image has been damaged over the past year and a half. We all need to work together to fix this. There will be criticism, there will be debate over whether we do well or not, but nobody wants cricket to remain at the level it has fallen to," he said.

Tamim announced the appointment of committee member Tanzil Chowdhury as the BCB's official spokesperson, who will communicate all board decisions to the media going forward. 

The committee's second meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6 pm.