Bangladesh players rally behind accused teammate Shakib Al Hasan

Published August 27, 2024
Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (right) and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto during the historic first Test win against Pakistan — AFP
Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (right) and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto during the historic first Test win against Pakistan — AFP

Bangladesh players have rallied round teammate Shakib Al Hasan, the ousted lawmaker who faces a case of alleged murder connected to unrest that toppled the government earlier this month.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team’s maiden Test win against Pakistan on Sunday, in which all-rounder Shakib took three second-innings wickets, was a tribute to the hundreds killed during protests that forced former premier Sheikh Hasina from power.

Bangladesh endured weeks of student-led protests that resulted in Hasina fleeing to India by helicopter on August 5, ending 15 years of autocratic rule.

Shakib, 37, who lost his job as a lawmaker for Hasina’s Awami League party when parliament was dissolved, is “a big asset of our country,” said Shanto in a post on Facebook late Monday.

“He’s been raising the name of Bangladesh in the world for 17 long years,” Shanto said.

Rafiqul Islam, the father of one of the hundreds killed during the civil unrest, filed a murder case against Shakib and 155 others in Dhaka on Thursday.

Hasina’s government was accused of widespread abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of political opponents. Hasina, former ministers and other ex-lawmakers are among those also accused.

Shakib has not spoken publicly about the case, but his teammates said they were offering him support.

“Such a case against Shakib bhai (brother) is unexpected,” Shanto added.

“In the new Bangladesh, we all want to see something new. I hope all the darkness will pass off and new light will come.” Veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim said on Facebook: “I have said it many times before, and I will say it again, I am proud to play alongside a champion like Shakib.

“As a teammate and a brother, I will be there during his tough times, and I do not support the false allegations made against him because I know he would never engage in inhumane actions.”

Bangladesh achieved their first victory over Pakistan in 14 Tests with a thumping 10-wicket win on Sunday after both teams struggled in hot conditions on a flat Rawalpindi pitch.

The second and final Test will also be played in Rawalpindi from Friday.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...