The Bangladeshi government will give Shakib Al Hasan the protection of being a national cricket player. But Asif Mahmud, the nation’s sports adviser, says Shakib must also clarify his political stance. Mahmud was making a reference to Shakib’s declining standing following his silence during the July and August student-led protests that resulted in hundreds of deaths. When questioned about his thoughts on the political changes in Bangladesh on Thursday.
In Kanpur, at his first news conference since the T20 World Cup in June, Shakib Al Hasan stayed out of the conversation. Awami League MPs and ministers have been arrested in large numbers in Bangladesh since the protests. Since then, Shakib has not been in Bangladesh, nor has he been there since the T20 World Cup began, along with 146 other people named in a murder case connected to the demonstrations. He immediately bonded with the team in Pakistan and India for the Test series.
Ensuring Shakib Al Hasan’s Security
According to Asif Mahmud, Shakib Al Hasan, a former parliamentarian whose party, the Awami League, was destroyed last month by a revolution spearheaded by students, can win over the nation with his ‘own words.’ At the same media event, he said that if the government and/or the BCB could ensure his safety, the forthcoming Dhaka Test between South Africa and Bangladesh would be his final one.
Mahmud, a sports expert, claimed that the complexity stems from the public’s anger toward Shakib for his dual roles as a politician and cricket player. “The state is bound to give security to each citizen, so we will obviously [provide him with security]. In Shakib Al Hasan’s case, we have to remember that he has two identities—the cricketer and the politician. He took part in the general elections from the Awami League.
People have mixed reactions regarding both his identities. Now we will give Shakib, the player, enough security, as much as a sportsperson. This is our responsibility. We will give him [security] if he comes to the country. The public could, however, be angry at him for his political identity. If half the country’s population is angry at me, then the five or six security persons I have won’t be enough to protect me,” Asif Mahmud explained.
Shakib’s Calming Influence
Shakib Al Hasan, however, can calm people down with his own words. I believe he needs to make his political stance clear. Mashrafe Mortaza, a former Bangladeshi captain and MP, has already discussed his circumstances. Therefore, no one can provide security to anyone if there are hazards to security from people. Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister then, was forced to leave the nation.
At that sensitive time, she was not given the necessary security. Mahmud cited a recent comment by legal advisor Asif Nazrul in saying that Shakib Al Hasan shouldn’t face any obstacles because of the murder case. In remarks made on September 25 and last month, Nazrul hinted that Shakib would not be arrested simply for being implicated in a case.
Final Thoughts
Shakib Al Hasan should find some reassurance in Mahmud’s statement. After the Kanpur Test, he returns to the United States, where his family resides. Having retired from the shortest format of cricket, Shakib has also announced he is not playing in the T20I team for the three-match series against India that begins on October 6.
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