Bangladesh Rules Out Shakib Al Hasan’s Return After Appearance at Sheikh Hasina Media Event
Dhaka: Bangladesh’s government has indicated that former cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan is unlikely to be allowed to return to the country’s cricket setup after participating in a media event featuring former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was removed from power and later convicted in absentia.
Shakib joined the event via telephone from Sri Lanka during a gathering in New Delhi on Wednesday, where Hasina addressed journalists for the first time in nearly two years after being forced from office following a violent crackdown on student-led protests.
Bangladesh’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, said the government had previously adopted a lenient approach towards Shakib despite his political association with Hasina’s Awami League, for which he served as a member of parliament.
However, the minister said the latest development had changed the government’s position.
“We had been looking at the matter with considerable flexibility and tolerance. After this, I do not think there is any room to think that way anymore,” Haque said in a statement.
He added, “Someone who has taken the stage with the autocrat no longer has any opportunity to return.”
Shakib, currently in Sri Lanka, remains among dozens of individuals named in murder investigations linked to the deadly police crackdown on protesters that ultimately led to the fall of Hasina’s government. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Widely regarded as Bangladesh’s greatest cricketer, the 39-year-old all-rounder has represented his country in more than 400 international matches and featured in five ICC Cricket World Cups.
Human rights organisations have long accused the former Hasina administration of widespread abuses, including the killing of political opponents, suppression of dissent, manipulation of the judiciary and conducting unfair elections.
In November 2025, a court in Dhaka convicted Hasina in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death. She is currently residing in India.
Shakib initially announced his retirement plans in September 2024, stating he intended to retire after Bangladesh’s second Test in India. He later revised that decision, expressing his desire to play a full international series before ending his career.
Earlier this year, the Bangladesh Cricket Board had indicated that Shakib remained eligible to return to competitive cricket. However, his participation in Wednesday’s event has triggered fresh controversy and appears to have significantly reduced any prospects of a comeback.
