Desk Report:
Cricketer Jahanara Alam has accused former Bangladesh women’s team selector and manager Manjurul Islam of sexual harassment. In an interview on a YouTube channel, she alleged that Manjurul used to ‘touch the women’s team’s cricketers with bad language’. Jahanara also alleged that he used to ask her for personal health information.
Not only Manjurul, Jahanara has also accused several others of ‘ruining’ her career. Especially from 2021 to the next one and a half years, the former all-rounder of the national women’s team said that she did not receive any special redress despite reporting all the incidents to the higher levels of the BCB and the women’s wing.
Manjurul played 17 Tests and 34 ODIs for the national men’s cricket team from 1999 to 2004. After retirement, the former left-arm pacer was in charge of coaching and managing various teams under the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). He was the selector of the national women’s cricket team from 2020 to 2023. At the same time, he also served as the team’s manager in various series.
The former pacer is now working as the head coach of the women’s cricket team in China. Today, he claimed to Prothom Alo over the phone that all of Jahanara’s allegations are baseless and false. Manjurul said that he is ready to face the investigation committee when he comes to the country.
In an interview given on the YouTube channel, Jahanara claimed that Manjurul used to ask her about personal information related to women’s health, which is usually the knowledge of the team’s physiotherapist.
In this regard, Manjurul says that as a manager, he used to get this information through the physiotherapist who was with the team. However, he never asked any player directly about these matters.
When asked whether he ever asked Jahanara about these matters, Manjurul said, “Absolutely not. Where did I say that, when did I say that? Where is the proof of this! Will you share it with other teammates (if so)?” Let them tell!’
Jahanara alleged that Manjurul Islam often physically touched the players in the name of encouragement, even hugging or pulling them by the chest.
Manjurul also denied the accusation of touching female cricketers in this way. Stating that he is ready to face any investigation by the state or BCB in this regard, the former national team pacer said, ‘I am ready to come and sit in Bangladesh anytime. I will come whenever I am told. I will do whatever the investigation committee tells me.’
In the interview, Jahanara claimed that she had told everything to BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury in a letter in 2022. However, Manjurul claimed that she was never told anything about sexual harassment by the board.
When asked why the allegations were made against him, Manjurul said, ‘I don’t know. My main problem was rules and regulations. I was strict about these things. I was strict about eating. Eating outside food is only harmful to them. “If it’s a bad thing, if there’s punishment for it, I have no problem.”
