What Sports Adviser Says About Providing Security For Shakib

On the eve of the Kanpur Test, Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement from Test and T20 formats during a press conference. Although he has already played his last T20 match, Shakib expressed his desire to bid farewell to Test cricket during the upcoming home series against South Africa later this month.

Since then, speculation about Shakib's last Test has been rampant, with many assuming he has already played his final Test against India in Kanpur. There are concerns that he may not play another Test on home ground.

However, on Thursday (October 3), Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan stated that he personally hopes a player like Shakib will be able to retire from Test cricket on home ground. He also assured that Shakib would be provided with full security if he decides to play in the country.

On the day he announced his retirement, Shakib had expressed his hope that he could play in Bangladesh and feel safe, as well as have no issues traveling abroad when necessary.

At that time, however, no positive statements were made by relevant authorities regarding his security and safe travel after Shakib's return to the country. BCB President Faruk Ahmed had stated that providing security for Shakib was beyond the BCB’s capacity, emphasizing it was the government’s responsibility.

While Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan mentioned that all possible security would be provided to Shakib upon his return, he also suggested that Shakib himself must take initiatives to address the public's grievances. He advised Shakib to clarify his political stance.

Despite ongoing discussions about Shakib's last Test in the country, he has remained silent on the matter since the press conference in Kanpur. After the Test series in India, he moved to the United States, and there has been no further word from him regarding his final Test.

While attending the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah, UAE, on Thursday, the Sports Adviser told reporters, "He (Shakib) is a player who has made significant contributions to the country. Since he wishes to play his last Test in Bangladesh, I personally hope he gets that opportunity."

Reiterating the commitment to ensure Shakib's security upon his return, the adviser emphasized, "We will certainly provide the highest level of security for our player. Any complaints against someone is a different matter. I cannot comment on that, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Law. We have already stated that we will ensure Shakib Al Hasan's security."