A murder case has been filed against Bangladeshi cricketer and former lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital.
According to Bangladeshi media reports, Shakib, who is currently on tour in Pakistan with the national team, has been charged with the murder of a garment factory worker. The victim’s father reportedly lodged the complaint against Shakib and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a Dhaka police station on Thursday.
Shakib, 37, was previously a member of the now-dissolved Bangladesh parliament led by Hasina, who fled the country earlier this month following widespread protests.
Last week, the interim government granted Shakib permission to participate in the two-Test series against Pakistan, the first of which began on Wednesday. Shakib has not publicly commented on the ongoing political turmoil.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto addressed the situation at a press conference in Rawalpindi on August 20, stating, “He has played this game for so long, so he knows his role and how to prepare himself. I am not thinking about his political career.”
When asked if the political situation might affect Shakib’s performance, Shanto responded, “I don’t think so because he is a professional cricketer, and we all treat him as such.”
“I hope he will do something special in this series,” Shanto added.
Shakib is a key all-rounder for Bangladesh, with 4,505 runs in 67 Tests and 237 wickets, the most by any Bangladeshi bowler in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Dhaka over Shakib’s continued inclusion in the team, with former Bangladesh Cricket Board member Rafiqul Islam criticizing him for remaining silent while protesters died in clashes with security forces.
Shakib joined the squad in Pakistan last week after playing in the Global T20 League in Canada, where Bangladeshi expatriates also chanted slogans against him.
The unrest in Dhaka disrupted the team’s practice sessions. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board invited the team to arrive four days early to compensate for their lack of preparation.
The second Test of the series is scheduled to be played at the same stadium in Rawalpindi starting on August 30.
