BCB’s 25-year Test status celebration: Saber-Durjoy’s contributions forgotten!

Sports Desk

Exactly 25 years ago in June, Bangladesh gained Test status. On the upcoming 26th June, Bangladesh will complete 25 years of Test status. The country achieved Test status in 2000 under the leadership of then BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury, while Naimur Rahman Durjoy captained the inaugural Test match. Today, due to political reasons, both are sidelined and neglected.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to organize an event on 26th June to mark the 25th anniversary of attaining Test status. The initiative has been taken by newly appointed BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul, who scored a century in his debut Test.

While his initiative is commendable, he is organizing the event in a fragmented manner. In 2000, the government in power was led by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. It was under this government’s diplomatic efforts that Bangladesh secured Test status.

At that time, Saber Hossain Chowdhury was the BCB president, and Syed Ashraful Haque was the general secretary. It has been learned that while Ashraful has been invited to the event, Saber has not been informed. After the fall of the Awami League government, former minister Saber remained in Dhaka. He was arrested in multiple cases and even publicly humiliated in court. However, he was released the next day due to international pressure. Saber, an Awami League leader, still resides in Dhaka.

Durjoy was an Awami League MP during the 2014 and 2018 terms. Though he was not an MP in 2023, he remained active in Awami League politics. However, after the government’s fall on 5th August, Durjoy, now accused in multiple cases, has not appeared in public despite staying in the country.

Under Durjoy’s captaincy, Bangladesh played its inaugural Test against India in November 2000. Initially, Bulbul was not in the squad due to poor form, but Durjoy insisted on his inclusion. Bulbul went on to score a historic 145-run innings, while Durjoy took 6 wickets with his off-spin—the first five-wicket haul for Bangladesh in Tests.

Now, as BCB president, Bulbul seems unwilling to acknowledge the very teammate who ensured his place in the debut Test. The reason? Politics!

Cricket insiders say organizing a celebration while excluding the key contributors to Bangladesh’s Test status is nothing short of a farce.