Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka

Dhaka, Jan 17: Bangladesh’s aggrieved cricketers on Friday called off their boycott “in the greater interest of the game” after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) reached a consensus, paving the way for the resumption of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 matches.

The BCB had faced the prospect of its flagship T20 league coming to a halt after senior national players revolted against board director Najmul Islam over his disparaging remarks targeting the players. Two BPL matches scheduled on Thursday were postponed despite Najmul being removed from a key post earlier in the day. The league resumed on Friday, with the match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express currently in progress.

The controversy erupted after Najmul, while reiterating Bangladesh’s refusal to tour India for next month’s T20 World Cup citing security concerns, said players would not be compensated if the team withdrew from the tournament. He further claimed that the players had achieved little to justify any payout, as Bangladesh had not won a single ICC event.

His remarks triggered widespread outrage, with CWAB demanding his immediate removal from the board. Players across the country responded by boycotting cricket activities, putting pressure on the BCB to resolve the crisis.

CWAB president Mohammad Mithun, meanwhile, revealed that he had received death threats for taking a stand in support of the players. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Mithun said he wanted the national team to participate in the T20 World Cup but not under security threats.

“I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s the first time in my life. I don’t remember ever being involved in controversial talk. When have I ever spoken against the country?” Mithun said. “I only spoke for the interest of cricket and the players. There is no personal issue here. If I don’t talk about players’ rights, what’s the point of being in this position? No one is above the country.”

Mithun said he has not formally informed the BCB about the threats and has avoided answering calls from unknown numbers, though he continues to receive messages and voice notes. He added that other players have also received similar threats.

“I don’t even know how to seek help from law enforcement because I have never gone to a police station for any legal matter in my life,” he said.

On the issue of touring India for the World Cup, Mithun said player safety must be the top priority. “We want the players to play the World Cup because a World Cup is a World Cup. But we never want anyone to play under a life threat. I believe the board and the government will take a decision keeping players’ welfare in mind,” he added.

Bangladesh has been demanding that its four preliminary World Cup matches scheduled in India be shifted to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The issue gained traction after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL on the BCCI’s instructions amid reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. While the Indian board did not specify the reasons, the decision angered the Bangladesh government and the BCB.

The BCB remains in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has so far shown reluctance to relocate Bangladesh’s matches from India.