Dhaka: The President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Faruque Ahmed, has clarified that the board is unable to provide Shakib Al Hasan with the "individual security" he requested for his final Test match against South Africa in Dhaka, scheduled for October.
During a press conference, Shakib Al Hasan expressed his intention to retire from Test cricket on his homeland if the South Africa tour proceeds.
Currently, the status of the South Africa series in October remains uncertain, as Cricket South Africa has not yet granted security clearance following the venue inspection earlier this week.
This uncertainty surrounding the series can be attributed to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, a result of the extensive student protests in July and August, which have led to the loss of hundreds of lives. Consequently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned from her position and has since fled the country.
Furthermore, Shakib Al Hasan has been implicated in a murder case in Dhaka last month. Despite this, he has been a member of the Awami League-led government since January. During a pre-match press conference for the second Test against India in Kanpur, Shakib requested security assurances from the BCB and a resolution to his security concerns.
In response to Shakib's statement, Faruque Ahmed clarified that the BCB is not equipped to provide individual security and emphasized that such matters are beyond their jurisdiction.
"Shakib's security is not within the board's purview. We are not a security agency capable of offering personal protection. He will need to make arrangements for his security from the highest echelons of the government," Ahmed stated, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
He further explained that the BCB has not engaged with government officials regarding Shakib's security due to the case being a matter under investigation.
Ahmed also conveyed his respect for Shakib's decision to retire from Test cricket, acknowledging the significance of playing his last match at home during a challenging phase of his life.
