ICC clears stance on Bangladesh visit ahead of BCB election

The two-member ICC delegation that arrived in Bangladesh on June 1 ahead of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's election — scheduled for June 7 — has clarified its position following widespread speculation.

ICC board representatives Dr Mohammed Moosajee (Cricket South Africa) and Tavengwa Mukuhlani (Zimbabwe Cricket) met ad-hoc board head Tamim Iqbal and director Faim Sinha upon arrival. Rumors intensified after the delegation met four former directors of the Aminul Islam Bulbul-led board at a city hotel.

The National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the Bulbul-led board on April 7 under Section 21 of its 2018 policy, appointing former national captain Tamim as head of an 11-member ad hoc committee.

The former directors — M. Najmul Islam, Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury Zaman, Asif Akbar, and Md Hasanuzzaman — accompanied by legal counsel Advocate Mokarramus Shaklan, urged the ICC not to recognise any election conducted by the ad hoc committee. The Bulbul-led committee claimed the ICC delegation was not in Bangladesh as election observers.

The ICC issued a statement on Thursday clarifying its role:

"A two-member delegation appointed by the ICC, comprising ICC Board Directors Dr Mohammed A.S. Moosajee and Mr Tavengwa Mukuhlani, recently visited Bangladesh to engage with stakeholders to review developments linked to the BCB. The delegation will submit its findings and observations to the ICC Board in due course and will not be making any media comment. Any media reports, commentary or claims regarding the visit are speculative and do not represent the ICC's position."