Shakib's name could be cleared from murder case, says sports advisor
In the past few days, all of the messages written by fans on the outer walls of Mirpur Stadium have been against Shakib. These fans have expressed that they do not want to see him in Mirpur. Sports advisor Asif Mahmud stated that the fans have the right to express such emotions.
South Africa will arrive in Bangladesh on 16 October to play a two-match Test series. The series will kick off with the first Test on 21 October. However, the focus of the discussion is not on Bangladesh's prospects or their on-field battles, but on Shakib Al Hasan. The prevailing question everywhere is: will Shakib be able to bid farewell on home soil?
The answer to this question is widely known. Shakib's name is linked to a murder case involving the killing of a garment worker during an anti-discrimination student protest. Along with expressing his desire to play his final Test in Mirpur against South Africa, Shakib has also sought assurances regarding his security. Additionally, the experienced all-rounder has requested guarantees for his safe arrival and departure from the country.
Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has addressed the matter several times before. A few days ago, he mentioned that Shakib would receive maximum security. On Sunday, after visiting the Mirpur Stadium, he reiterated a similar statement during a press conference. Asif Mahmud stated that there are no legal obstacles for Shakib's movement in and out of the country. Furthermore, if the preliminary investigation does not find any involvement, Shakib's name will be cleared from the murder case.
The sports advisor said, "There should be no barriers in his movement in or out of the country, as far as I know. The legal aspects are for the Ministry of Law to explain. I am neither an expert nor responsible for the Ministry of Law. However, we have had discussions with the Ministry of Law. Asif Nazrul Sir has already said that if the preliminary investigation finds no involvement, his name will be dropped from the murder case."
Asif Mahmud does not see any legal obstacles in Shakib's return to the country. He added, "At present, there seem to be no legal issues. The law runs its own course, which I cannot comment on. Asif Sir from the Ministry of Law has made a statement on this matter. However, I believe the people of Bangladesh have immense respect for the law. It has been proven. Even after a massive uprising in Bangladesh, unlike in other countries where such situations lead to chaos, our people have shown respect for the law. We have not reached that extreme. Everyone was expecting the situation to worsen significantly, but it didn't."
On 9 October, Shakib posted an apology on his official Facebook page, expressing regret for remaining silent during the student movement and also explaining his political stance. Referring to this and discussing Shakib's security, the sports advisor said, "It is the state's responsibility to ensure the security of every citizen. The state is also responsible for ensuring the security of the national cricket team, and we will make sure of that."
"I understand there are strong emotions involved, as there was a large movement, and Shakib Al Hasan was linked with the previous fascist government. He has clarified his position in his post. However, some emotions still remain, whether justified or not, I won't get into that debate," he added.
By "emotions," Asif Mahmud was referring to the messages written by fans on the walls outside Mirpur Stadium in recent days, most of which were against Shakib, indicating that some fans do not want to see him play in Mirpur. Acknowledging their right to express their emotions, the sports advisor said, "A cricketer will play, and he is a citizen of Bangladesh. I do not see any barriers to his return."
"However, regarding the wall writings or some social media posts, these are emotional matters. They have the right to express such sentiments. This is a democratic country, and people have constitutional rights to movements or any form of expression. However, I would like to emphasize that nobody's security should be compromised."
Urging everyone to respect the law, the sports advisor further said, "If there are any legal matters, the law will run its course. I cannot comment on that. However, we should remain highly respectful of security concerns. Since South Africa is coming, we must maintain a good environment, or else other countries may feel unsafe coming to play in Bangladesh."