Staff Correspondent

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has been accused in a police case of 'forcibly' taking ownership of the Sylhet Strikers, a Bangladesh Premier League, or BPL, team.

The case was filed by the team’s former owner Sarwar Golam Chowdhury at Dhaka’s Pallabi Police Station on Sunday night, said the station’s chief Nazrul Islam.

The other accused are Helal Bin Yusuf Shuvro, Md Imam Hasan, an unknown official from the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, KM Russell, one Bablu, and 10 to 15 unnamed individuals.

OC Nazrul said, "This is not a political case, but a business dispute. Mashrafe has been named as the prime accused, alongside five others."

The plaintiff alleges that Shuvro forcibly took ownership of Future Sports Bangladesh Limited, the parent company of the Sylhet Strikers, while at Mashrafe's office.

The complaint claims that a revolver was held against Sarwar’s head during the incident.
"An unknown official from the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms began taking signatures from Sarwar without asking any questions. At that time, Shuvro threatened him not to discuss the matter with anyone," the First Information Report, or FIR, says.

Sarwar also alleged that the former national cricket team captain Mashrafe and his associates forcibly took shares worth Tk 45 million in 2023, threatening him with death without making any payment in return.

According to the FIR, Shuvro introduced Sarwar to cricketer-turned-politician Mashrafe. Following their invitation, Sarwar, a US-based businessman, showed interest in purchasing a BPL team.

Sarwar registered a joint stock company named Future Sports Bangladesh Limited, of which he was the chairman with a 60 percent share. The remaining 40 percent share was held by Imam, whom Mashrafe introduced as his friend.

In October 2022, the company secured the rights to Sylhet Strikers from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, or BCB, for three years.

Under Mashrafe's leadership, the team performed excellently in 2023, qualifying for the finals for the first time in BPL history.

However, disputes over the franchise arose before the tournament ended. Sarwar alleges that in August 2023, he was summoned to Mashrafe's office and intimidated into transferring his shares to others.

The FIR mentions that Sarwar was held captive by 10 to 15 youths to intimidate him. He was threatened with harm to his family, leading him to transfer his shares under duress and ultimately flee the country for safety.

In 2018, the former captain entered parliament for the Narail-2 constituency.