Former Bangladesh women’s cricket captain Jahanara Alam has bravely come forward with harrowing allegations of harassment against members of the national team’s management. The veteran pacer, who is currently on a break from the team for mental health reasons and residing in Australia, claims she faced indecent proposals from personnel, notably during the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup. Her accusations specifically target Manjurul Islam, a former Bangladesh bowler who served as a selector and manager for the women’s team, alleging he tried to exploit her position.
Alam asserts that after rejecting Islam’s alleged advances, he actively prevented her from progressing and performing effectively within the national squad. She also revealed that the late Towhid Mahmud made an alleged approach through BCB employee Sarfaraz Babu. Furthermore, Alam stated that the then-head of the women’s committee, Nadel Chowdhury, was unable to address the situation, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board CEO, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, reportedly took no action upon being notified.
Speaking on a YouTube channel, Alam disclosed that she had endured repeated incidents of this nature and had stayed silent for years out of fear of jeopardizing her career. “You cannot say or protest many things even if you want to,” she stated, emphasizing the difficult position players are in. She aims for her testimony to create a safer environment for future female cricketers. “I will speak so that maybe 10 more girls will want to return safely, just as I survived and returned,” she declared.
The first alleged instance occurred in 2021, with Towhid Mahmud purportedly conveying a proposal indirectly via Sarfaraz Babu. Alam claims her refusal and pretense of misunderstanding triggered a negative change in Manjurul Islam’s conduct towards her. She eventually submitted an “Observation Letter” to the BCB CEO detailing the incidents.
During the 2022 World Cup, Alam alleges another disturbing interaction with Manjurul Islam. She described him approaching her closely, grabbing her shoulder, and speaking in her ear, creating a sense of fear. “We used to be scared about this behind the scenes,” she said. She recounted Islam making highly inappropriate comments about her menstrual cycle, including asking, “How many days is your period running today?” and adding, “When your period is over, tell me, because I have to look after my side too, right?” Alam stated she consistently responded by claiming she did not understand.
Manjurul Islam has denied all allegations, calling them baseless. Sarfaraz Babu also refuted the claims, demanding evidence. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has acknowledged the gravity of the situation and is considering launching an investigation.