No question of sparing Shakib over Grameenphone deal: Papon

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DHAKA, Oct 26, 2019 (BSS)-Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president
Nazmul Hassan Papon today categorically said that they will not spare Shakib
Al Hasan for making a deal with country’s leading telecom company
Grameenphone.

The ace all-rounder on Tuesday became the brand ambassador of
Grameenphone, after striking a deal for an undisclosed sum at a moment when
he was also leading a players’ strike for better pay and benefits.

The BCB president said his deal violated the rules and regulations of
the board as the premier all-rounder did not take any permission from the
board. Papon also said they will send a show-cause notice to Shakib, to give
him the chance of defending first.

“According to our rules and regulations, he (Shakib) by no means can do
it,” Papon said, adding, “There is no doubt in it. All of the players and
that telecom company also knows this well. We have an agreement on this issue
(with the players). But as to why he did this, firstly we have to give him
the chance to defend him. That’s why we are sending him a letter. But what is
clear that he by no means can do it and it’s completely illegal.”

After Shakib’s answer to the show-cause letter, BCB will take the next
course of action, Papon added.

The BCB president further made it clear that, if found guilty, Shakib
won’t be spared.

“There is no question of sparing him if he is found guilty,” Papon said.

Just two years after he became BCB president in 2012, Papon-led BCB
suspended Shakib Al Hasan from all cricket for six months and didn’t grant
him NOC to play in overseas competitions until the end of 2015.

The punishment was handed out because of Shakib’s “serious misbehaviour”
with Bangladesh’s then coach Chandika Hathurusingha, and for his altercation
with a spectator during the recent first ODI against India in Mirpur.

Papon-led BCB however several times showed their zero tolerance policy
in case of the lack of discipline.

Papon earlier said: “We are going to take legal action. There is no
scope to spare anyone. We will seek compensation from both the company and
the player.”

Grameenphone — which is majority owned by Norway’s Telenor — was the
sponsor of Bangladesh Cricket Board during the period of 2009-2011.

Papon said the Board incurred huge losses after the company signed
players individually instead of bidding to become the team sponsor in 2015
when a rival operator won the deal.

“This is why we barred the players to sign any agreement with telcos…
yet, he (Shakib) did this. And you see the timing? Agreement after stopping
play. These are audacious behaviour,” he said.

Sakib led a players’ strike on Monday for better wages and demanding a
larger share of board’s revenue.

The players called off the strike late on Wednesday and started training
on Friday for next month’s India tour as the BCB accepted most of their
demands.