Since the political landscape changed in the country, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan Papon has been a focal point of discussion. Papon finds it nearly impossible to continue his role as board president under the current circumstances.
In light of the situation, recent reports from various media outlets suggest that Papon has expressed his desire to step down from the BCB presidency to a board director. It remains unclear whether he will also resign from his director position. If he only resigns as president, he will still remain a director of the cricket board.
Unlike the Bangladesh Football Federation, where the president is directly elected, the cricket board follows a different procedure. Directors are first elected in various categories, and then the president is chosen from among them. For the past three terms, Nazmul Hassan Papon has been elected president unopposed. Therefore, if Papon resigns only from the presidency, there is a possibility he will remain on the board as a director.
For the past decade, Papon has governed Bangladesh cricket. His trusted director, Ismail Haider Mallick, has managed board elections and operations. Many have benefited from their leadership, and a group remains loyal to Papon within the cricket board. District, club, and various category councillors still support Mallick and Papon.
Like other federations, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board was government-appointed. MPs or ministers have held the position since the 1980s and 1990s. Papon followed this tradition in 2012 and has been an elected president since 2013.
Except for the Football Federation, the National Sports Council (NSC) has the authority to directly include two members in the executive committee of other federations. The NSC usually does this after elections, although sometimes these positions remain vacant. The cricket board, however, has made some adjustments for its benefit. During elections, they nominate NSC directors, who, despite not having to purchase or submit nomination papers, are given elected status by the cricket board.
In 2013, Papon was an NSC-nominated director. He was not elected as a director from the club, district, or former cricketer categories. Therefore, in 2013, Papon was not a fully elected president in that sense. However, in 2017 and 2021, he was elected as a director from the club category and subsequently elected as president.
While Papon may remain as a director, it is certain he will no longer be president. According to the rules, the president will be elected from among the directors. Although the constitution mentions the
election of two vice-presidents, this has not occurred in the current and previous terms.
