No bar on Bangla pacer Shahadat playing national league Says BCB

Dhaka, Sep 11 - The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has said it has nothing to do with pacer Shahadat Hossain allegedly torturing his maid, but the pacer will not be barred from playing in the national league.

The national cricketer and his wife are on the run after they were accused of torturing an 11-year old maid, a news website reported.

After the filing of the case on September 6, BCB Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury dubbed the episode "unfortunate" and said the board was "utterly embarrassed" at Hossain’s implication in the case.

His parents came to the BCB office seeking help on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday, BCB Director and Disciplinary Panel chief Sheikh Sohel further cleared the board’s stance over the issue.

“The BCB has nothing to do here. We are not involved with the matter; it is a civilian issue. There is law, they (law enforcers) will take a decision about it,” he said.

He, however, said there was no bar to Hossain playing the national league, which starts on Sep 18.

“I think he will be able to play. Because he didn’t show such behaviour in cricket. What happened is different and his personal matter. It has no relation with cricket,” he added.

Asked what the BCB’s stance would be if the player was arrested if he played in the tournament, Sohel said, “So far I know, there is no arrest warrant for him. We’ll see if an arrest warrant is issued. We’ll see what the law says.

“The board follows a discipline. Something will be done then,” he added.

(IANS)