SPORTS REPORTER

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) tournament committee held a coordination meeting yesterday for the upcoming NCL T20 in September. In the background, however, frustration and suspicions were being raised regarding Mymensingh division’s continued exclusion from the National Cricket League (NCL).

Formed in 2015 after being carved out of Dhaka division, Mymensingh remains the only administrative division yet to be included in the country’s premier domestic first-class competition. Hopes of inclusion were once again dashed when Mymensingh was left out of the recent meeting, chaired by BCB tournament committee chairman Akram Khan.

A member of the Mymensingh divisional sports association informed that they have not received any explanation from the BCB regarding their NCL exclusion, and if they are not included, they will take legal steps if necessary.

“We haven’t received any explanation on why Mymensingh are excluded,” former BCB director Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan, now a member of the Mymensingh divisional sports association, told members of the media on Thursday.

“After the division was created, we have been trying to play the NCL and have appealed in various government departments. Lastly, the NSC sent a letter to the BCB to include Mymensingh division when Faruque Ahmed was the president. Back then, the president said that it will happen.

Redwan, also former general secretary of the Mymensingh divisional sports association, further said that they will not allow the NCL to take place if Mymensingh are not included. “If necessary, we will take legal steps,” he warned.

The BCB was aware of the developments, and when The Daily Star asked director Akram Khan, he said that a discussion on the matter has to be undertaken by the board directors and BCB president and it was not solely under his jurisdiction, adding such decisions have to be approved in an AGM (Annual General Meeting).

When The Daily Star asked a board director regarding the comments from a member of the Mymensingh Sports Association, it appeared BCB were not highly concerned at the moment.

“Yes, they can file a case, but as you can see, everything has been designed through involvement with the districts,” a BCB director said on condition of anonymity.

“There were matters of increasing venues, and there were other issues related to players. So these things take time. As far as I heard, according to our constitution, it may be that for a new district, you have to include them through the AGM.”

With these developments, it is likely that Mymensingh’s fate will depend on the legal steps and decisions from legal bodies.