No chairman yet for Bangladesh selection panel

Bangladesh's selection committee remains without a chairman after the BCB's board of directors couldn't decide whether it should reappoint Faruque Ahmed or choose from one of the incumbent selectors. The post had become vacant after Akram Khan decided to contest BCB elections last month.

There was speculation that Faruque, who was chief selector between 2003 and 2007, would be ask to return to a role he executed with some success. He was instrumental in Bangladesh's best World Cup campaign, when they made it to the second round in 2007. Faruque also gave opportunities to youngsters like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim. After leaving the job, he was involved in domestic cricket as an advisor to the Rajshahi franchise in the 2012 BPL and the Rangpur franchise in 2013.

While Faruque has his backers in the board, there are others more inclined towards Minhazul Abedin, a current selector, and according BCB chairman Nazmul Hassan even Khaled Mashud, another former Bangladesh captain, has support.

Picking the chief selector was on the agenda of today's meeting but the BCB decided to take a few extra days to make a decision. "There has been a discussion regarding the position of chief selector," Nazmul said. "Faruque Ahmed has been significantly mentioned, while Minhazul Abedin, Khaled Mashud and Habibul Bashar are also in the fray. We will make a decision within a day or two."

Akram, who was elected BCB director unopposed in elections last month, was named chairman of the cricket operations committee. Khaled Mahmud, who won the directorship in the election, was made chairman of game development committee. Naimur Rahman was made head of the age-group tournament committee. Gazi Golam Mortuza replaced Naimur as the chairman of the tournament committee while AJM Nasiruddin, the Brothers Union official, was named chairman of Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), the body that runs the Dhaka leagues.

Nazmul warned the committee heads of doing their jobs properly. "We have given them the responsibility for six months. Whether they will be given a longer term will depend on their performances." Nazmul also said a decision on the two BCB vice-presidents will be taken on December 4, possibly through secret ballot if there were more than two directors interested.