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BCB gets its directors back

SPORTS REPORTER
The suspended directors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) finally won a battle on Saturday when a law court of the country vacated the stay order enforced against them on August 11, 2002.
The 18 aggrieved directors had smiles on their faces after a High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Awlad Ali and Justice Mohammad Emdadul Haque discharged the rule on why Clause 12 of the BCB's constitution should not be declared illegal.
The ruling now means that BCB president Ali Asghar, who has been functioning with 10 advisors, will have to work with the previous directors until fresh elections are held.
Earlier, a High Court Division Bench of Justice MA Aziz and Justice Mohammad Momtazuddin Ahmed upheld a writ petition filed by Rafiqul Islam, a BCB councilor,
which challenged the validity of Clause 12 of the cricket board's constitution.
Under Clause 12 of the BCB constitution there will be a management council comprising a chairman, 31 directors (16 from Dhaka clubs, 12 districts, one Education Board, one development foundation and an ex-officio).
But Rafiqul, who was apparently used to carry out Asghar's desire for placing like-minded people within the Board, argued that particular clause was a violation of the 1974 National Sports Council Act.
But with yesterday's legal twist, Rafiqul said that he would move a petition in the Supreme Court soon.
Asghar, on the other hand, declined to make any comment.
"I've heard about it but I won't say anything until I see it in writing," said the BNP lawmaker from Khulna, who made a chaotic debut in a then board of director's meeting on November 28, 2001.
While Asghar was understandably disappointed, Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, one of the 18 directors
who has been left out of the Board's current set-up, termed the court's decision a victory for democracy.
"First we will hold talks with all the councilors before deciding our next course of action," said Tutul.
"It has been a long struggle to establish our rights. When the writ petition was filed we were not given the chance to defend our position because the showcase was served on the Board president and the NSC and they both remained silent for reasons best known to them. It was only last March that we became defendants," said Ahmed Sajjadul Alam, a long-serving cricket organiser and one of the directors.
"A couple of years ago a vested quarter in and outside the board hatched a conspiracy to seize power. But with today's judgement by the honourable justices, the conspirators' plans have been thwarted and the ruling also justified that the board of directors was the only
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legitimate authority," Sajjadul added.
Isolated from cricket activities for more than two-and-a-half years, the directors are on a collision course with Asghar and his advisors. The directors, who were elected in March 2001 with Saber Hossain Chowdhury at the helm, were thrown into oblivion after the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) swept to power in October 2001.
"We will request the board president to convene a meeting of the board of directors as soon as possible. Besides, we also want to have a look into the accounts of the BCB and appointments then and now," said Sajjadul.
Asghar, a government nominee for the sport's most lucrative federation, promised to hold elections following the suspension of the board of directors. But his words never reflected his deeds, as he was more than happy to work in an undemocratic atmosphere. He is yet to call an annual general meeting, one of the pre-requisites for holding elections.