Changes in BCB won’t change our plans and goals: Hannan Sarkar

In the last month of July, Bangladesh has experienced a significant political shift, fueled by a powerful student-led protest that ultimately led to the fall of the then-government.

This dramatic change has sparked discussions about potential reforms across various sectors, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which may soon see a restructuring of its leadership.

Hannan Sarkar, a former opening batter with 37 international caps for Bangladesh and a national selector since his appointment in March, shares his insights on his role and the potential changes within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

In an exclusive interview with The Business Standard, Hannan discusses how he plans to navigate the challenges presented by the current political and administrative landscape while steering the future of Bangladesh cricket.

With potential changes in the BCB happening sooner rather than later, what are your thoughts on that?

Well, there are many changes happening across various sectors in the country right now. However, I don’t focus much on changes within the board. My role involves the on-field work and the selection process, and that remains unchanged regardless of any shifts in leadership. My priority is the betterment of Bangladesh cricket. I’ll continue to work from my position, offering my opinions. If my colleagues present better ideas that prove me wrong, I’ll happily accept them. So, any changes at the higher levels of the BCB don’t really affect my work. Right now, I’m in Australia with the High-Performance (HP) squad, and that’s where my focus needs to be.

Asif Mahmud has been appointed as the youngest Sports and Youth Adviser in our history. What are your views on this, and what do you expect from his tenure?

I hope Asif does well. Coming from this dynamic generation, he brings a fresh perspective, which can be very beneficial. I don’t know him personally, but from what I’ve observed over the past month, if he maintains the integrity he’s shown so far, I’m confident he’ll succeed. His youth and dynamism should be seen as a positive change, and I believe he can bring a breath of fresh air into our sports administration.

Some prominent figures, like Shakib and Mashrafe, have faced criticism for their silence during the recent protests, especially given their roles as members of parliament. What are your thoughts on this?

To be honest, these are personal perspectives. Every individual has their own thought process, and it’s not my place to question their personal stances. I’ve played with both Shakib and Mashrafe as teammates, so I see them primarily as cricketers rather than MPs. When we meet, we usually talk about cricket, not politics. Since I don’t view them as political figures, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on their positions during the events of the past month.

How do you balance the long-term goals of building a squad for the Champions Trophy with the immediate uncertainties posed by the current political and administrative scenario?

In my view, cricket should be approached from a neutral standpoint, and we’re no different. While a change in government can impact the cricketing landscape and the board, our goals and ambitions remain unchanged. We are committed to staying on the path we’ve set for ourselves. Whether there are new people at the helm or not, my fellow selectors and I will continue focusing on our objectives for the Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup. We set these goals when we took up our roles in March, and we intend to stick to them.

With the change in government, do you believe you’ll have more independence in making decisions for the Bangladesh cricket team?

From my point of view, the board has already given me the independence to perform my duties as I see fit. So, I don’t have any further concerns about this.

Some have said the board hasn’t been open to outside perspectives. Do you see a need for change in this area if the board undergoes changes?

Speaking from my individual position, in my very first press conference as a selector, I mentioned that anyone—whether from the media or the general public—can freely express their opinions. However, which opinions are accepted will be determined during our collective meetings as selectors. Everyone has their own perspective and observations, and not all opinions can be accepted based on our judgment. That’s why we were appointed to these positions. At the end of the day, good opinions will be considered and implemented in my decision-making role. But it’s also important to trust those in decision-making positions. For example, now that Asif is the new Sports Adviser, we all hope he’ll do a good job. That kind of trust and hope should be extended to others in similar positions as well.

In these turbulent times, what message would you like to give to fans of Bangladesh cricket to keep their morale high and maintain focus on the game?

As you know, I’ve been directly involved in two major achievements with the U-19 team.We won both the U-19 World Cup and the U-19 Asia Cup. Now that I’m directly involved with the national team, and with the overall situation in the country improving after a hectic month, our dream of winning a major trophy with the national team remains alive. I hope every fan of Bangladesh cricket continues to hold onto this dream, just as I do. Please give us the time to gradually build a team capable of achieving such a milestone. As we all know, good things take time.