The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has charged and provisionally suspended three former officials over alleged breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code connected to the 12th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The cases involve former BCB Director and Audit Committee Chairman Muhammad Mukhlesur Rahman (Shamim), former Security Liaison Officer Zakir Hossain, and former BCB Councillor for Bogura District and Audit Committee Member-Secretary Rakibul Islam Sunny. The allegations cover a range of potential breaches, from improperly influencing matches and facilitating corrupt conduct to failures to disclose information, cooperate with investigators and, in Rahman’s case, alleged obstruction of an investigation.
In the press release announcing the action, the BCB stated: “The charges arise out of investigations conducted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board Integrity Unit (BCBIU) in relation to alleged corrupt conduct, failures to disclose information relating to corrupt conduct, failures to cooperate with anti-corruption investigations, and obstruction or delay of investigations connected to the Bangladesh Premier League T20 (BPL T20), 12th Edition.”
Rahman faces four charges under the Code
Rahman faces the largest number of charges among the three, with four alleged breaches covering different areas of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
Under Article 2.1.1, he is accused of fixing, attempting to fix or otherwise improperly influencing the result, progress, conduct or another aspect of a match or matches in the 12th BPL. A charge under Article 2.1.4 concerns allegedly soliciting, inducing, encouraging or intentionally facilitating a participant to engage in corrupt conduct.
Rahman has also been charged under Article 2.4.4 for allegedly failing to disclose, without unnecessary delay, full details of an approach or invitation to engage in corrupt conduct. The fourth charge, under Article 2.4.7, alleges obstruction of an investigation through concealing, deleting or destroying communications or other information that could have been relevant to the investigation or constituted or led to evidence of corrupt conduct.
Rahman had stepped down from his BCB position in January after media reports linked his name to a fixing-related investigation. According to Cricinfo, the BCB Integrity Unit began investigating Rahman that month following an investigation by journalist Riasad Azim published on his Facebook page; Rahman had become a BCB Director following the October 6 elections before Aminul Islam appointed him Audit Committee Chairman.
Hossain and Sunny face separate allegations
Hossain has been charged with three alleged breaches. Like Rahman, he faces charges under Articles 2.1.1 and 2.1.4 relating to alleged improper influence over matches and the alleged solicitation, encouragement or facilitation of corrupt conduct.
His third charge falls under Article 2.4.6 and concerns an alleged failure or refusal, without compelling justification, to cooperate with an investigation conducted by the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, including failure to comply with a Demand Notice.
Sunny faces two charges. Article 2.4.4 covers an alleged failure to disclose full details of an approach or invitation to engage in corrupt conduct, while Article 2.4.6 relates to an alleged failure or refusal to cooperate with an anti-corruption investigation.
Disciplinary process moves forward
The charges place all three individuals into the disciplinary process under the Code. The BCB stated: “The charged participants have been provisionally suspended and have 14 (fourteen) days from receipt of the Notices of Charge to respond to the charges as part of the disciplinary process under the Code.”
The action forms part of a wider period of anti-corruption scrutiny surrounding the BPL. Earlier in May, the BCB suspended other individuals connected to the competition over separate alleged breaches of provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
For now, the cases against Rahman, Hossain and Sunny will proceed through the prescribed disciplinary process. The BCB added: “The BCB will not make any further comment in respect of these matters at this stage.”
