'I never heard him say he wanted to step down'
Nazmul Abedeen Fahim and Faruque Ahmed, Cricfrenzy
In an interview with a private channel [Jamuna TV], Fahim expressed frustration, alleging that he is unable to work independently due to the interference of the BCB president and also gave hint about resignation. Fahim pointed fingers directly at Faruque, stating that the president’s involvement has hampered his ability to perform his duties freely.
Addressing these claims, Faruque clarified to media on Sunday, “Fahim didn’t express any intention to resign. He mentioned that working conditions were challenging, but I never heard him say he wanted to step down. We have spoken about the matter. I also discussed it with Jamuna TV, and Fahim was present with me during the conversation.”
BCB boss elaborated on the dynamics within the board, saying, “When people refer to the new board, it primarily means Fahim and me, as most others are from the previous administration. With limited personnel and a heavy workload, misunderstandings can arise. Perhaps Fahim felt he couldn’t perform his duties effectively due to these circumstances.”
Faruque also acknowledged external pressures, including ticketing issues and an incident in the President’s Box, which added to the challenges of the day.
“It wasn’t my best day. There might have been things I said that I don’t even remember now. Differences in opinion are natural, and I don’t see any fault in that. However, such matters should ideally be resolved internally.”
In an earlier statement, BCB director Fahim said, “I don’t want to specify the exact comment, but it left me very disheartened. It made me feel that, at this moment, the cricket board or the president does not have confidence in me.”
“I don’t know why the president made that comment about me. However, I was quite surprised by it. Naturally, I didn’t expect such a remark, especially in front of so many people, including officials from the ministry.”
BCB President described the issue as a misunderstanding that could have been resolved through dialogue.
“Misconduct is a relative term. If someone punches you, that’s misconduct, but even a small remark can be considered the same. In this case, I might have said something in a loud tone or made a comment that he didn’t like. Sometimes, these things can be resolved through conversation.”