In an unprecedented turn of events, the BCB repeatedly altered the punishment announced for Towhid Hridoy — first reducing it, then increasing it — before finally suspending it for one year.
After days of turmoil in the country’s cricket scene over the back-and-forth on Towhid Hridoy’s punishment, the BCB has finally issued an official explanation. It canceled the Umpires Committee’s directive and reinstated the original penalty given by the Technical Committee. However, the suspension for the Mohammedan Sporting Club captain has been deferred for one year.
On April 12, during a Dhaka Premier League match against Abahani Limited, Hridoy got into an argument with the umpires and was handed a one-match ban. Following the match, after making public comments about the umpires, his ban was extended to two matches.
Later, the ban was suddenly reduced back to just one match. Allegations surfaced that pressure from Mohammedan Sporting Club influenced the decision to lighten the punishment, as Mohammedan were locked in a tight title race with Abahani, and having their captain available for one more match was seen as crucial.
Following the announcement to reduce the ban, there were strong protests from the umpires’ side — although no one officially spoke out. Some reports, citing unconfirmed sources, suggested that Bangladesh’s only ICC Elite Panel umpire, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, had either resigned or was considering quitting his BCB role in protest.
Meanwhile, Hridoy had already served his one-match ban and played two more matches. However, amid mounting pressure from the umpires, the two-match suspension was reportedly reinstated. This meant Hridoy would have to miss another game — Saturday’s fixture against Gazi Group Cricketers.
As news spread, cricketers from different teams united. On Friday, many players gathered at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. After long discussions among themselves, four player representatives, including Tamim Iqbal — the Mohammedan captain until his recent illness — met with BCB President Faruq Ahmed. They shared their grievances about the tug-of-war over Hridoy’s punishment and other incidents where players felt “humiliated.”
Interestingly, during this entire period, neither the BCB nor the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis made any official announcements — the updates trickled through various media sources.
Finally, after the meeting with the players, the BCB issued a press release at 9:30 PM on Friday, stating that Hridoy’s original two-match ban would stand, but its enforcement would be delayed by one year.
“Following the invalidation of the April 19 directive (memo), the two-match suspension of Mohammedan Sporting Club captain Towhid Hridoy has been reinstated under the technical directive. However, considering the confusion and procedural disruption caused by the rescinded directive, after careful review, the Technical Committee has decided to defer the suspension by one year for the 2024–25 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.”
“This considered step has been taken in the interest of upholding the integrity of the game, maintaining the flow of the ongoing tournament, and promoting unity and sportsmanship within the cricket community. The Technical Committee remains committed to ensuring that all decisions are made with the highest fairness, transparency, and in line with BCB regulations.”
Although the BCB had previously remained silent about the April 19 directive, the latest release officially announced its cancellation:
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board hereby informs all concerned that the directive issued by the Umpires Committee on April 19, 2025, has been formally reviewed and declared invalid and void by the Technical Committee.”
“Upon detailed evaluation, the Technical Committee found that the said directive was inconsistent with existing technical regulations and procedures. Therefore, no recommendation or decision in that document will be considered binding or enforceable.”
The press release also mentioned that, under Article 14 of the General Information for the ongoing league, the Technical Committee has the authority to amend rules and codes of conduct — meaning Mohammedan’s captain is now clear to return to action.
Still, given the drama so far — who knows if there’s another twist left?
