BCB President flees, Mashrafe Mortaza’s house set on fire amid political unrest
- Former cricket captain Mashrafe Mortaza’s house was attacked.
- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country.
- Bangladesh Cricket Board officials also fled due to safety concerns.
Amid the escalating unrest in Bangladesh, former cricket captain Mashrafe Mortaza’s house was reportedly set on fire amidst the chaos following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on Monday.
Mortaza, who also served as a Member of Parliament for the Narail-2 constituency in the Khulna division, was re-elected as an Awami League candidate under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this year.
Local media reports suggest that vandals attacked and set Mortaza’s house ablaze after the Prime Minister fled the country amid widespread student protests.
The political turmoil has prompted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan and other officials supportive of the ousted Awami League government to flee the country for their safety. Cricbuzz reported that the country’s sports minister, Zahid Ahsan Hasan, has also left.
Due to the ongoing political unrest, the BCB has delayed the Bangladesh A team’s departure to Pakistan for an upcoming tour by two days.
The team, including senior players like Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, Shahadat Hossain, and Zakir Hasan, was initially scheduled to leave on Tuesday, August 6, to play two four-day and three one-day matches against Pakistan Shaheens.
Bangladesh has been in turmoil for several weeks due to massive protests against job quotas for descendants of freedom fighters. These protests recently turned violent, leading to a police crackdown resulting in hundreds of deaths.
The crisis culminated in an attack on long-serving President Sheikh Hasina’s house, leading to her resignation and subsequent fleeing to India. The country’s army has since taken control.
