Nazmul Abedin Fahim(Twitter)
Nazmul Abedin Fahim, an eminent cricket coach and analyst with a distinguished 14-year tenure in multiple capacities within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) including the BCB High-Performance Unit, BCB Game Development, and the board’s women’s sector, visited the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. During this visit, he proclaimed that he had meticulously crafted an extensive framework designed to overhaul and advance the state of cricket in the nation.
He launched a critique of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, asserting that it is not a well-managed organization and that its impressive exterior masks underlying inefficiencies.
“Having had the opportunity to work here and observe closely, I don’t think the BCB is a particularly disciplined organization. From the outside, it might seem like the BCB is an excellent organization because of its outward glamour,” Nazmul told reporters on Saturday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
He also reproached the BCB for failing to capitalize on opportunities and alleged that their shortcomings were driven by various underlying agendas. Nazmul advocated for a fundamental shift in approach, arguing that rather than settling for mere mediocrity, a rigorous and structured framework must be implemented for Bangladesh to advance significantly in its cricketing trajectory.
“However, the BCB hasn’t made the most of its opportunities. This has been due to various reasons, including several intentional mistakes. I believe changes are necessary here. The internal indiscipline acts that occur need to be addressed. Strengthening these aspects could resolve many of the crises we face. If a process is in place, why wouldn’t we perform well in cricket? We shouldn’t be overly thrilled about winning against Nepal, but that’s what has happened. I believe that with proper efforts, Bangladesh cricket can go a long way,” he said.
I don’t believe they were genuine servants of the game: Nazmul
Expounding on his argument, Nazmul emphasized that the leadership and those in senior positions needed to embrace greater responsibility and lucidity for the system to function effectively. He also pointed out that numerous capable individuals within the country had been denied sustained opportunities in their roles due to the pervasive vested interests of various stakeholders.
“I believe the biggest responsibility lies with the leadership. If the leadership is strong, everything else falls into place naturally. There are many legal matters related to ICC regulations, and if we talk about reforms, we need a board led by a good leader, someone with a vision and big dreams. Transparency and accountability are essential, and those qualities should be present. We have had many capable individuals in our country who haven’t had the opportunity to contribute for a long time,” noted Nazmul.
He also observed that if individuals with self-serving stakeholders were truly committed to the advancement of the game, they would have emerged openly to contribute. He harboured suspicions about their authenticity as genuine benefactors of the sport, suggesting that their lack of sincere involvement had led to the gradual deterioration of the entire structure of Bangladeshi cricket over time.
“If they (board directors) were truly dedicated to serving cricket, they would have come forward. I don’t believe they were genuine servants of the game. They had their own agendas, and they fulfilled those. We’ve witnessed the downfall of cricket. Whether it’s club cricket or the entire sport, it has been severely damaged,” added Nazmul.