Allegations spark controversy around Bangladesh women’s team
Veteran Bangladesh pacer Jahanara Alam has levelled serious accusations against current women’s team captain Nigar Sultana, alleging repeated incidents of physical abuse toward junior players — including during the recent Women’s World Cup. Alam, who has not featured for Bangladesh since December 2024, detailed her claims in an interview with Kaler Kantho, reigniting scrutiny of the team’s internal environment.
“This is nothing new. Joty beats up the juniors a lot. Even during this World Cup, the juniors told me, ‘No, I won’t do this again. Then I’ll have to get slapped again.’ I heard from some people, ‘I got beaten up yesterday.’ Even during the Dubai tour, she called a junior into the room and slapped her,” Alam said, referring to Sultana by her nickname.
She further alleged a pattern of internal politics that she believes has pushed senior players to the margins of the national setup.
“Actually, I am not alone, everyone in the Bangladesh team is more or less a victim. Everyone’s suffering is different. Here, one or two people get advanced facilities and in some cases, only one person gets them. In 2021, the process of eliminating seniors like me along with a few others from the post-Covid camp began. Then I was made the captain of one of the three teams in the Bangladesh Games. The captains of the other two teams were Jyoti (Nigar Sultana) and Sharmin Sultana. The pressure on seniors started from then on,” she added.
Currently based in Sydney after taking a mental health break, Alam’s remarks have added a new layer of controversy to an already scrutinized team environment.
BCB issues formal denial, stands by team leadership
In response, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) released an official press statement categorically denying all allegations made by Alam.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken note of recent remarks made in the media by a former member of the Bangladesh Women’s National Cricket Team, in which she has made a series of allegations against the current National Team Captain, players, staff and team management.”
“The BCB categorically and strongly refutes these allegations, which are baseless, fabricated and devoid of any truth.”
The board strongly condemned the timing and nature of the claims, suggesting they were intended to disrupt team unity and morale.
“The Board finds it unfortunate that such derogatory and scandalous claims have been made at a time when the Bangladesh Women’s Team is showing commendable progress and unity on the international stage.”
“The Board believes that the timing and nature of these comments are deliberate, ill-intentioned and seemingly aimed at undermining the spirit and confidence of a team that continues to represent the country with pride.”
Further questioning Alam’s motives and relevance to the current squad, the BCB stated:
“It is deeply disappointing that an individual who currently has no involvement or relevance in the plans of Bangladesh cricket has chosen to make such misleading statements in public.”
The board closed its statement by reaffirming support for the team’s leadership and dismissing the allegations as unsupported.
“The BCB wishes to make it clear that it has complete trust and confidence in the Women’s National Team’s leadership, players and management. The Board has found no evidence to support any of the claims made and stands firmly behind the team and its personnel.”
A team under scrutiny despite progress
The Bangladesh women’s team recently finished seventh out of eight teams in the 2025 Women’s World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Despite only managing a win against Pakistan, the side delivered competitive performances against stronger opponents and was praised for showing resilience.
Captain Nigar Sultana, who led the team throughout the campaign, also had a notable individual tournament, scoring 150 runs under pressure.
While Alam’s allegations have shaken the domestic discourse around the women’s side, the BCB’s unequivocal rejection signals a strong effort to maintain internal unity as the team prepares for future assignments, including an upcoming tour of India.
