DHAKA – The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has opened an official inquiry following allegations of sexual harassment made by former women’s cricket captain Jahanara Alam against both former and serving officials. The 32-year-old pacer spoke out in a YouTube interview, accusing officials, including then-selector and manager Manjurul Islam, of inappropriate conduct during the 2022 Women’s World Cup in South Africa.
Alam alleged that Manjurul “made inappropriate physical contact” with female players, claiming he “often hugged or pressed female players to his chest” under the guise of encouragement. She stated that she had previously written to the board about these incidents but no action had been taken.
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Manjurul Islam, currently in China, denied the allegations, calling them “baseless.” He urged that other players could be questioned to verify the claims. The former left-arm seamer represented Bangladesh in 12 Tests and 34 ODIs from 1999 to 2004 and has since served in various managerial and coaching roles.
Jahanara Alam is one of Bangladesh’s leading women cricketers, having taken 48 wickets in ODIs and 60 in T20s across 135 international white-ball matches. She also named other officials in her allegations, highlighting systemic issues within the board.
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The BCB said a committee would investigate the claims and submit its findings within 15 working days. Vice-president Shakhawat Hossain reaffirmed the board’s commitment to maintaining a “safe, respectful, and professional environment” for all players.