Nazmul Hassan Papon was appointed as the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) by the government in 2012 and ruled for nearly 12 years. He was re-elected three times, though these elections were criticized for fraud and manipulation, with his supporters ensuring no competition. The board lacked transparency and functioned under his sole control.
The dDaily Observer reported instances of corruption linked to Papon and his associates in two reports: "Should Papon Not Step Down?" (October 31, 2019) and "Cricket is Not a Casino by Any Means" (October 12, 2022), highlighting various aspects of his misconduct, irregularities and corruption. However, his tenures had been marked by nepotism, corruption, subpar performances from both the men's and women's national teams and a series of controversial statements and actions by his officials, which are detailed here.
Casino involvement: On October 31, 2019, a video surfaced on social media allegedly showing Papon gambling in a casino. The then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly was surprised viewing the footage but no action was taken against him. Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, chairman of the BCB facilities management committee, was accused of having connections to a casino and alcohol possession. Initially, Papon defended Lokman stating, "I can say that I know Lokman as a good man who never drank alcohol or participated in gambling." However, Lokman was later arrested for his involvement in the casino business.
Additionally, former cricketer and influential board director Khaled Mahmud Sujon was seen visiting casinos abroad while traveling with the national team but faced no consequences for his actions. He is also accused of introducing Mohammad Ashraful to bookies, yet he remains a powerful figure within the board.
Match-Fixing and Institutional Corruption:Former BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury alleged that under Papon's leadership, the BCB institutionalized match-fixing and corruption. On October 21, 2019, Shakib Al Hasan raised concerns about domestic cricket's integrity, stating, "We all know the sorry state of our first, second and third division cricket. Often, we can predict which team will win or lose before the match begins." In May 2015, Khulna captain Abdur Razzak accused NCL match-fixing on Facebook and in 2014, the entire Bangladesh Premier League T20 was suspended due to corruption allegations.
Mismanagement of Resources: Papon's major project, the Purbachal Stadium, was projected to cost over 1,000 crores, with a 76-crore consultant fee already paid and 250 crores allocated for the current financial year.
The BCB budget indicates higher spending on logistics, protocol and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Despite national performance, Papon focused on hiring foreign "high-profile" coaches, amid reports of "commission-trade" involving some directors. Ismail Haider Mallick, a close associate of Papon, has been implicated in the decline of domestic cricket and has overseen the Finance Department and Logistics. Furthermore, Mahbub Anam, chairman of the BCB ground committee, received a notice from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for illegally amassing over Tk 620 million but remains on the BCB board.
Unofficial Offices and Major Decisions: Papon frequently made significant decisions outside of official BCB meetings, often from his residence or Beximco Pharma. High-stakes decisions, such as appointing Shakib Al Hasan as Test captain over Mominul Haque, were made in private discussions, while contracts for broadcasting and ground advertising rights were awarded to his preferred individuals. This led to rising dissatisfaction among fans and sponsors, with the national team's revenue dwindling as a result.
Holding Multiple Posts: Papon occupied multiple positions retaining his presidency at the BCB while also was serving as Minister of Youth and Sports. He was the President of the Cricket Committee of Abahani Limited, a Director at Beximco Pharma Group and a Director at IFIC Bank Limited simultaneously. Additionally, he led a parliamentary subcommittee investigating the manufacturing practices of pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh.
After becoming BCB president, Papon relied heavily on Khaled Mahmud Sujon, who took advantage of Papon's limited cricket knowledge. Sujon has served as chairman of the game development committee and vice-chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee.
Since 2012, he has held various important roles within Papon's board, including team director, interim coach and team manager. Sujon also regularly coached the DPL team Abahani Cricket Club and Durdanto Dhaka in BPL.
Hathurusingha Controversies: Chandika Hathurusingha's abrupt departure from the Bangladesh cricket team in 2017 raises doubts about his ability to regain the trust of players and the board.
While on a tour in South Africa, he submitted his resignation to the BCB. He later joined Sri Lanka as head coach but was dismissed due to his autocratic style and behavioral issues.
During his first tenure in Bangladesh, Hathurusingha reportedly strained relationships with senior players and some BCB officials. His forceful removal of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza from international T20s caused significant damage and he leveraged his influence over the board president, leading to the resignation of then-Chief Selector Faruque Ahmed.
Despite widespread disappointment and objections, Papon unilaterally reappointed Hathurusingha in 2023. In his second tenure, he physically assaulted Nasum Ahmed and harmed Tamim Iqbal's career.
Notably, several quality coaches including Alan Donald and Rangana Herath left after rejoining Hathurusingha. He even criticized the BPL calling it a circus, yet Papon's board continued to pay him a substantial monthly salary.
Cricketers' Strike and Demands: Frustration boiled over in October 2019 when cricketers struck against the BCB and its officials, voicing eleven key demands.
These included the resignation of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) officials, which was presided over by Naimur Rahman Durjoy a Director of Papon's board.
Other demands include reinstating traditional transfer regulations in the DPL, proper fee valuation in the BPL T20, improved facilities and salaries in the NCL. The players also demanded the enhancement of playing conditions and greater transparency in decision-making.
Teams' Underperformance:The Bangladesh national cricket team's disappointing performance is largely due to the poor quality of first-class cricket and a loss of credibility in domestic competitions.
In 2014, the entry fee for the third-tier league increased from Tk 100,000 to Tk 500,000, which undermined the league's purpose and participation. Previously, 50-60 academy teams participated, providing opportunities for 1,000-1,200 emerging cricketers to showcase their talent.
The BCB imposed stricter regulations, requiring teams to register with the social welfare directorate, which allowed clubs linked to board officials to gain promotion without competition.
As a result, champions and runners-up of the third division were often decided by a toss, leading to diminished competition and premature dropouts of talented players.
Both the men's and women's teams are underperforming due to unrest in the dressing room, unhealthy competition and nepotism. To create a facade of success, the board, through curator Gamini De Silva, turned the Mirpur wicket into a spinner's paradise and used victories against stronger teams to mask their shortcomings.
Commercialization of the BCB:At the BCB's annual general meeting in March this year the constitution was amended to allow for greater commercial engagement.
Subsection 6.1 of Article 6 was revised to enable the board to raise funds from government, sponsors and national and international sources, as well as to invest in scheduled banks and treasury bonds.
The amendments also permit the BCB to take loans from scheduled banks, open letters of credit, provide mortgages on properties and secure loans against fixed deposits while participating in commercial and social activities.
Removal of secret documents of their corruption:On the night of the August 5 uprising, secret documents were allegedly removed from the BCB building. Media reports indicate that CCTV footage captured two young men walking through the BCB office corridor at 9:00 PM on that date.
Whitepaper on 12-year rule of Papon and his cronies: The cricketers, fans and people associated with BCB now demand a through probe into the authoritarianism, nepotism, irregularities and corruption during Papon's 12-year rule.
They also demand a whitepaper be published on the findings of the investigation as sports lovers and common people have a right to know about BCB's irregularities and corruption during Papon's one-man reign.
