AFTER a change of regime in Bangladesh following the victory of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), truth behind many questionable policies and decisions taken by the 18-month interim government are tumbling out of the closet. Apart from the economic, political and foreign policy errors implemented by the caretaker government under interim head Mohammad Yunus, the decision of non-participation in the ongoing ICC Twenty20 World Cup turned out to be a grave mistake as the team was misguided by the then government’s sports adviser. The truth has come out after Bangladesh cricket team’s assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin publicly criticised the sports adviser Asif Nazrul for misrepresenting fact and throwing the cricket team under the bus by changing his stance. Salahuddin’s revelation has exposed the dirty designs of the Yunus regime whose hatred for India had crossed limits. His government forced the cricket team to ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift their games out of India at the last minute. The demand’s trigger was the removal of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI).

 

Rahman was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise for a handsome sum but as Hindu minorities came under severe attack in Bangladesh under the patronage of the Yunus government, pressure started mounting on the BCCI to keep Desh players out of the IPL. The BCCI took the right decision to keep Rahman away till political and diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka were not resolved. However, the Yunus government gave an unnecessary spin to the issue and forced its team to threaten boycott over security issues in India. The demand was naturally rejected by the ICC and Bangladesh was booted out the tournament with Scotland replacing at the last moment. This episode had left the Bangladesh cricket team shattered as they missed out on an important assignment and also suffered financial losses. The team was made to believe that it was the government’s decision which they had to abide. However, as Salahuddin has said publicly, shortly before stepping down from his post Yunus stated that the call had been made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players.

 

The u-turn has angered the team which was taken for a ride by the government to serve its own selfish interests. While the Yunus government derived no benefit from the foolish move, the cricket team was left high and dry for no fault of theirs. It was nothing short of backstabbing of one’s own players by the government blinded by anti-India hate. Salahuddin has categorically brought down the lies of Mohammad Yunus and his sports advisers who clearly misrepresented facts to the players and team management. The team was dismayed at the decision to boycott but had to toe the government line. Now, the players have realised that they were sold a dummy. More such truths are set to come out in open as the new regime digs deeper in the Yunus mess.