An eyewitness reported that many people attacked Shakib Al Hasan’s fans during a rally in Dhaka on Sunday, despite strong security. Shakib Al Hasan hoped to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB agreed to his plea and placed him in the squad against South Africa. However, the Bangladesh authorities recommended him not to enter the country for security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the United States.
Fans had been protesting outside the Mirpur cricket venue for several days in response to Shakib’s disqualification from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a gang of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At the time, the army and law enforcement forces present brought the situation under control by blowing whistles.
Notably, Shakib will officially join the Awami League party in 2023. He filed for the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami League candidate in the 2024 Bangladesh general election, and he won. Two months ago, a student-led movement deposed Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, following weeks of protests and rioting that killed over 600 people.
On August 5, Hasina, 76, escaped to India, where an interim administration led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was founded. Awami League leaders and sympathizers, including Sheikh Hasina, are facing dozens of charges for alleged crimes committed during the July-August rebellion. Sakib Al Hasan is one of the accused in the case, however, he wanted to leave cricket after the test series against South Africa.
Following the suspension of Chandika Hathurusinghe for misconduct, the BCB announced the appointment of former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons as head coach of the national men’s cricket team.