Sports Desk

Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan can continue playing for the national cricket team until courts found him guilty, according to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

BCB president Faruque Ahmed made the remarks while he was addressing to a Bangla daily reports on Tuesday.

BCB President Faruk Ahmed said, "Our decision regarding Shakib remains unchanged. He will continue to play as he is a contracted cricketer with the BCB and is currently a crucial member of the national team on the Pakistan tour. A legal notice was issued to bring him back to the country, and today we have responded by stating that our stance is the same."

The president also said, "The allegations against Shakib are still at FIR stage. There are many steps to go through before anything is proven. Until the allegations are proven, we will keep him in squad. After Pakistan tour, the team will go to India, and we want Shakib to be part of that as well."

The BCB president also confirmed that Shakib would receive legal support from the board if needed, saying, "He is our contracted player. We will provide him with legal assistance if necessary."

On August 30, Bangladesh will play the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. After returning home on September 4, the team will depart for India on September 15 to play a series of two Tests and three T20Is. During this break, Shakib will not return to Bangladesh; instead, he will head to England to play County Cricket for Surrey. Faruk Ahmed confirmed that the BCB has already issued him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for this.

On August 5, Shakib Al Hasan was named as an accused in a murder case filed by Rafiq Islam, the father of the victim, Md. Rubel, a garment factory worker, alongside several other prominent figures, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Shakib's involvement in the murder case led a lawyer to send a legal notice to BCB, demanding that Shakib be brought back to the country for the sake of the investigation. The BCB responded today, reiterating its firm stance in favor of Shakib.

Shakib played a crucial role in Bangladesh's 10-wicket victory against Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi, taking three wickets with his left-arm spin in the second innings.