Delay in BCB elections could endanger ICC membership - Nazmul Hassan

BCB president Nazmul Hassan has warned Bangladesh could lose its ICC membership if it doesn't hold a board election in line with ICC guidelines. The country's High Court earlier this year challenged the legality of the newly amended BCB constitution, and that has held up the elections which were supposed to take place within 90 days of the ad-hoc committee taking over the BCB.

The ICC has reportedly set guidelines for cricket boards to minimise government interference and make sure that the board presidents are elected, not selected. Accordingly, on March 1, 2012, the BCB directors amended the board's constitution but it had to wait for the approval from the National Sports Council, the regulatory body of sports in Bangladesh. Due to the delay in getting the approval, the BCB had to be run by an ad-hoc body from late November after the elected body's reign expired.

"We had to change the constitution to follow ICC guidelines so that's how the 2012 draft came about," Hassan said. "If we don't do the election according to ICC's guideline and the court declares the 2008 constitution valid, Bangladesh stands to lose its ICC membership."

"We need a constitution to run the election, and I have two at the moment. One from 2008 and the other done in 2012. The latter constitution was sent to the BCB ad-hoc committee by the National Sports Council. But since this 2012 draft is with the court, our election is being delayed."

Hassan reminded that the changes asked to be made by the ICC have to be taken into account, although ICC president Alan Isaac said in November last year that the major change, that of reduced government interference, is still under review.

"In the last [ICC] board meeting, we were told that every board has to bring about certain changes to their constitution. But unless the High Court decides on our board's constitution, we don't have much to do. We are seeking legal opinion because the ICC has set a timeframe and bindings. We have to do something within these limitations."