Facebook posts ignite a political standoff
A routine birthday message on Facebook by Shakib Al Hasan to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has spiraled into a political controversy that now threatens to end his Bangladesh career. Shakib shared a smiling photograph with Hasina while wishing her on her birthday, a gesture that drew immediate criticism from Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud.
Responding on Facebook, Asif wrote: “All of you have abused me a lot for not rehabilitating one person. But I was right. End of the discussion.” In a separate post, he added: “Why should someone be rehabilitated just because he’s a good cricketer? The law is equal for all. Face it.” Shakib then countered with his own post, saying: “So someone has finally accepted that it’s because of him that I can never put on the Bangladesh jersey again, because of whom I can’t play for Bangladesh again. Maybe I will return to my motherland one day. Love you, Bangladesh.”
Asif Mahmud’s Channel 24 directive and allegations
The exchange soon escalated beyond social media. In a phone interview with Channel 24, Asif declared he would formally instruct the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to select Shakib for national duty again. “We cannot let him carry the Bangladesh flag. It won’t be possible for me to allow him to wear the Bangladesh jersey. Maybe I haven’t told the BCB before, but now my clear direction for the BCB would be that Shakib Al Hasan can never again play for Bangladesh.”
Asif accused the allrounder of misrepresenting his political ties, despite repeated attempts to return to the national team. “The number of times he has asked to enter the country, to play for Bangladesh, he had said that the Awami League had given him the [2024 general election] nomination forcibly. He claimed that he was not involved in politics. He wanted to become an MP to work for the people of his area [Magura]. The truth, however, is that he is intricately involved in Awami League’s politics.”
He doubled down during the same interview, repeating his stance that Shakib’s Bangladesh career was finished: “He cannot be allowed to carry the Bangladesh flag. Wearing the Bangladesh jersey is not something I can possibly approve… Shakib Al Hasan will never play for Bangladesh again.”
Shakib’s explanation to Channel 24
Shakib, for his part, has rejected the notion that his birthday post was political. Speaking to Channel 24, he explained that his message to Hasina was purely personal and linked to their shared history with cricket.
“She [Hasina] has always followed cricket seriously – isn’t that right,” Shakib said. “She was deeply involved with cricket. We had a relationship through that, even before politics. I wished her from that point of view. There was no other motive, or trying to instigate anyone.”
The allrounder stressed that his intentions were misinterpreted and that the gesture should not be conflated with partisan politics, especially given his long-standing ties with cricketing figures.
Shakib’s past remarks on entering politics
The controversy also revived debate around Shakib’s political involvement. In an April 16, 2025 interview with Zaigum Azam for the Daily Sun — titled ‘My greatest wish is to play for my country and retire from home’ — Shakib defended his decision to contest elections, insisting his aim was to serve his constituency. “I don’t see anything wrong in what I did… I still believe I was right because my intention was to work for the people of Magura.”
He further explained his reasons for stepping into politics despite his cricketing commitments. “If I wanted to make significant changes, I needed to be inside it. How can you change the system unless you’re part of it?” Shakib said, reiterating that his foray into politics was driven by a desire for systemic reform rather than personal ambition.
What this means for Bangladesh cricket
The Sports Adviser’s categorical instruction to the BCB leaves little room for compromise. With Asif Mahmud publicly vowing to bar Shakib’s return, the future of Bangladesh’s most accomplished cricketer looks increasingly uncertain. His statistics — more than 14,000 international runs and 650 wickets — underscore the scale of the potential loss for the national side.
For Shakib, the controversy has turned a birthday greeting into a career-defining standoff. Unless there is a political shift or intervention from cricketing authorities, his role in Bangladesh colours appears closed, leaving fans and analysts to debate whether politics has permanently sidelined the country’s most decorated allrounder.
