Dhaka (Bangladesh): A group of fans who were protesting for Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to play in his farewell test against South Africa were attacked by a rival side wielding sticks and bamboo on Sunday, police said.
Shakib was a member of parliament for the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule as prime minister came to an end in August with her fleeing to India following deadly protests.
In Mirpur hundreds of supporters of Bangladesh’s best cricket all rounder shakib al Hasan were holding a peaceful demonstration in protest of excuse of mob violence to bar their idol from entering Bangladesh.
— Awami League (@albd1971) October 20, 2024
Yet in broad daylight , BNP activists, armed with weapons… pic.twitter.com/GE4wVq7eNC
Shakib currently resides in New York and didn’t travel to Dhaka. The Youth and Sports Advisor advised the Bangladesh all-rounder not to return to the homeland after the threat of protests came to the fore.
The cricketer announced his retirement from Test and T20I cricket during the two-match Test series against India on Indian soil last month, saying that he would hang his boots with the conclusion of the first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa.
Terrorist attack on cricketer Shakib Al Hasan's fans. The administration is silent. @UNHumanRights pic.twitter.com/JGzSzHhRJC
— bell bottom (@bellbottombd) October 20, 2024
The 37-year-old has been away from his home country since the protests began in July but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had assured him he would not be harassed on his return. However, he has not returned home following public anger over his silence during the deadly protests. Notably, he had also apologised for not saying a word through a social media post.
The 37-year-old released an apology last week for his silence over the protest going on in Bangladesh. "Firstly, I would like to pay my respects to all the students who sacrificed their lives, led the anti-discrimination movement, and were martyred or injured during the people's uprising," Shakib, who has been named as an accused in a murder case in Bangladesh, wrote on his official Facebook page.
"While no sacrifice can compensate for the loss of a loved one, nothing can fill the void of losing a child or a brother, to those of you who were hurt by my silence during this critical period, I respect your feelings and sincerely apologise. If I were in your place, I too might have been upset," wrote the all-rounder, a MP in the Hasina government who was overthrown owing to a student protest against quota in jobs.
"Army personnel quickly came and brought the situation under control," a police official said.
The BCB confirmed that uncapped Test player Murad will take Shakib’s place in the team. Hasan has taken 136 wickets in his 30 first-class matches since his debut back in 2021. The spinner made his debut for the national side at the Asian Games in 2023 where he played in two T20Is for the team.
