Former Bangladesh women’s cricket team pacer Jahanara Alam has come forward with serious allegations of sexual harassment against Manjurul Islam, a former national selector and team manager.
The accusations were made public in an interview with sports journalist Riyasad Azim, published by Kaler Kantho, where Jahanara also detailed long-standing issues of discrimination, neglect, and internal politics within the women’s cricket setup.
According to Jahanara, Manjurul Islam repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior during her time with the national team. She described instances in which he placed his hand on her shoulder and made intrusive personal remarks.
“He would touch my shoulder and ask how many days my period lasted,” she said. “Then he told me, ‘Once it’s over, come and see me.’”
She further alleged that after international matches—including during World Cup fixtures—Manjurul bypassed standard post-match protocols by hugging her instead of shaking hands, despite clear norms and the presence of teammates and officials.
“I was uncomfortable every time,” Jahanara added. “These hugs were not appropriate, especially given the setting and our professional relationship.”
Jahanara claimed she reported the misconduct multiple times to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over the past 18 months, including raising concerns directly with Nadel Hossain Siraj, the then-in-charge of the BCB’s women’s wing. However, she said no effective action was taken.
“I filed complaints repeatedly. Things would calm down for a day or two, but then it would go back to the same behavior,” she said, expressing disappointment at what she described as a lack of institutional response.
A right-arm medium pacer, Jahanara represented Bangladesh in 135 international matches across ODIs, T20Is, and Tests, playing a pivotal role in the team’s formative years on the global stage. Her last appearance for the national side was in 2023.
