Bangladesh never runs short of spectacle. Every sunrise brings a new headline, every sunset a fresh controversy — and at the center of resolution, predictably, stands Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
It’s as if every official, every institution, and every board thrives in chaos just to summon the Prime Minister as the grand problem-solver. From politics to sports, the pattern remains painfully familiar: dysfunction below, decree above.
Cricket — The Nation’s Favorite Soap Opera
For more than a decade, cricket has been Bangladesh’s most reliable source of distraction. What once united a nation has now turned into a stage for ego, melodrama, and cheap theatrics, a space where professionalism routinely bows before personal grudges and political patronage.
And this time, the lead actor of the ongoing spectacle: Tamim Iqbal.
Tamim’s Tears and Hasina’s “Resolution”
Barely three months before the World Cup, Tamim — the country’s most recognizable opener of the last 16 years — announced an abrupt retirement, breaking down in tears before cameras in Chattogram.
His timing was as dramatic as his delivery: the announcement came a day after Bangladesh’s meek defeat to Afghanistan. The press devoured it. Talk shows dissected it. Social media ignited.
Then, like every other Bangladeshi saga, came the inevitable twist.
The next day, Tamim reversed his decision after a three-hour meeting with none other than Sheikh Hasina herself.
Yes, the Prime Minister — the supposed non-political force — once again became the crisis manager of a cricketing issue. And, of course, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was there too — because every Bangladeshi drama needs its loyal chorus.
So, what was once a sporting question of form, fitness, and discipline became another episode of “Hasina saves the day.”
Politics in the Pavilion
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is often described as “autonomous.” But when the Prime Minister has to mediate between the board president, the captain, and a retired fast bowler-turned-MP, one must ask — what autonomy?
Is Sheikh Hasina non-political? Is Mortaza non-political?
Of course not.
Their presence turns every cricketing decision into a political statement. It blurs the line between governance and showmanship — and in Bangladesh, that line is long gone.
Tamim’s Decline and the Blame Game
Let’s return to the cricket. Tamim’s back problems were no secret. His fitness had visibly declined; his discipline often questioned. Yet, when he admitted before the first ODI against Afghanistan that he was “not 100% fit,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan exploded — not privately, but publicly, in Protidiner Bangladesh.
That single outburst spiraled into national chaos. Tamim, cornered by criticism, poor form, and perhaps a wounded ego, quit. But a night later, after the political summoning, he un-quit.
It wasn’t the coach, the medical team, or the board who resolved it — it was Hasina.
This is not administration. It’s a theatre. And everyone’s playing their part.
The Numbers Don’t Lie — But Nobody Cares
Beyond the melodrama, Bangladesh’s cricketing problems are painfully measurable.
Since 2019, the Powerplay statistics are bleak:
Strike rate: 68.95
Average: 30.09 (from 49 innings)
Total runs: 2257
Wickets lost: 75
The top teams use the Powerplay to dominate. Bangladesh uses it to survive.
Yet instead of addressing batting intent, fitness culture, or team strategy, the national conversation orbits around egos and reconciliations.
It’s easier to host tea at Ganabhaban than to overhaul cricketing logic.
The Real Tragedy
Tamim’s saga is not about one man’s pain; it’s a reflection of an ecosystem addicted to dysfunction.
The players behave like celebrities, the board like politicians, and the politicians like cricket experts.
When a country’s Prime Minister must personally mediate a captain’s retirement, the problem is no longer in the dressing room; it’s systemic.
Bangladesh doesn’t need more emotion. It needs accountability.
Because until cricket and governance are freed from political theatre, every problem will demand the same tired ending: “Hasina has solved it.”
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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