BCB to elect its new directors on Wednesday

The stage is set for the Bangladesh Cricket Board election to take place on Wednesday and form its new 25-member Board of Directors to run cricket in the country for the next four years.

The election this year was initially thought would not become competitive but that is changed as councilors will now be contesting for a post in all the three categories and only seven directors have been elected uncontested.

A total of 31 contestants will contest for 23 directors’ posts. Initially a total of 32 nominations were submitted. However, Showkat Aziz Russell of Amber Sporting Club in Club Category withdrew his nomination that reduced the final list of nominations to 31.

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The home of cricket, Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium has been observing a festive mood.

“I have come to see the preparation for the election and see whether the ballots are being ready. The e-vote and postal ballots have already been sent,” Presiding Officer Farhad Hossain said to the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

In category one 10 directors will be elected from and by the district and divisional sports associations. In category two, 12 directors will be elected from and by the Dhaka clubs. In category three, one director will be elected with votes of the councilors from former cricketers, university, education board and government agencies. NSC has already nominated Ahmed Sajjadul Alam and Jalal Yonus while seven more directors are set to get elected uncontested.

Three directors will have to contest in district category while Tanvir Ahmed Titu, Naimur Rahman, Syed Ashraful Islam Titu and Khalid Hossain will contest in Dhaka Division. Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud Pilot is contesting from Rajshahi against director of the current board Saiful Alam Chowdhury.

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The contest in the club category will perhaps be the most exciting with 16 councilors competing for 12 directors’ posts. Nazmul Hasan Papon [Abahani Ltd], Gazi Golam Mortuza [Gazi Group Cricketers], Nojib ahmed [Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club], Mahbubul Anam [Mohammedan Sporting Club], Obaid Rashid Nizam [Shinepukur Cricket Club], Saiful Islam [Old DOHS Sports Club], Salahuddin Chowdhury [Kakrail Boys Club], IH Mallick [Sheikh Jamal Cricketers], Enayet Hossain [Azad Sporting Club], Fahim Sinha [Surjo Torun Club], Iftekhar Rahman [Fair Fighters Sporting Club], Mojour Kader [Dhaka Assets], Abdur Rahman [Mirpur Boys Cricket Club], Rafikul Islam [Gazi Tires Cricket Academy] and Mojour Alam [Asif Shifa Cricket Academy] – have all submitted forms in the category.

In category three, the contest will be between current board director Khaled Mahmud and former BCB official and current cricket advisor of Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan [BKSP] Nazmul Abedeen Fahim. Fahim has obtained nomination from BKSP.

Amongst the 171 councilors 127 will be able to cast their votes. The councilors will be able to cast vote at the BCB board room from 10AM till 5PM.

As many as 66 councilors had requested to cast votes through postal ballot while eight councilors were willing to cast their respective votes through e-ballot, The election commission allowed 57 applicants to cast their votes from long distance.

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“A total of 127 councilors will vote. The actual list of voters is 173 but many will not be able to cast votes as some nominees did not have any contest and thus have already been elected. 57 councilors will vote through e-vote and postal ballot while the remaining will cast their vote in the center,” said presiding officer Farhad.

Nazmul Hasan's second term as the BCB president ended last month. According to the BCB constitution, elections must be held within 45 working days of the expiration of the term but the board did not wait as it wanted to hand over the responsibility to the new committee before the T20 World Cup.

Nazmul ahead of the election this year was vocal of not having interest in remaining as the BCB president further as the responsibility is taking toll on his health.