Writ challenging the validity of BCB’s ad hoc committee

Sports Desk
A writ petition was filed in the High Court on Thursday challenging the validity of the 11-member ad hoc committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The petition seeks a direction to declare the committee illegal and without legal authority.

Supreme Court lawyer Md. Golam Kibria and seven lawyers submitted this application to the relevant branch of the High Court.

Lawyer Golam Kibria said that a hearing on this application will be held next week.

The writ petition has named the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC), its Planning and Development Director and the Chairman of the BCB’s Ad Hoc Committee as respondents.
According to the petition, the elected committee of the BCB took office on October 6, 2025, through a free and fair election, and has been performing its duties as per the law within the stipulated term.

However, on April 7, the NSC abolished the elected committee and formed an ad hoc body of 11 members, implementing Section 21 of the National Sports Council Act, 2018.

The petitioners argued that under Section 21, ad hoc committees can only be formed in special circumstances, such as when a committee fails to properly perform its duties or is involved in a conflict of interest.

They claim that no such allegations have been proven against the BCB’s elected committee and this provision has been misused to abolish it.
The petition states, “This step is illegal, arbitrary and against the principles of natural justice.”

The writ also states that forming an ad hoc committee before the term of the elected committee expires undermines the democratic process and the autonomy of sports organizations, which is inconsistent with constitutional principles and fundamental rights.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has been appointed as the chairman of the ad hoc committee.

Other members of the committee are Rashna Imam, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Saeed Ibrahim Ahmed, Israfil Khasru, Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Athar Ali Khan, Tanzil Chowdhury, Salman Ispahani, Rafiqul Islam Babu and Fahim Sinha.

The NSC had earlier stated that the decision to form an ad hoc committee was based on the report of their investigation committee.