Dhaka, January 20, 2025: Bangladeshi cricket icon Shakib Al Hasan is facing legal issues once again, with a court issuing an arrest warrant on Sunday for cheques that bounced, totaling over $300,000. This legal setback is the latest in a series of challenges for the former lawmaker, who has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years.
Mohammed Shahibur Rahman, a representative from IFIC Bank, confirmed the court’s decision. “The court had previously summoned Shakib Al Hasan, but he failed to appear,” Rahman stated. The bank filed the case after the cheques were returned unpaid.
Shakib Al Hasan’s political connections have added another layer of complexity to his situation. A former lawmaker aligned with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, he became a prominent figure in the aftermath of the August 2024 revolution, which resulted in the collapse of Hasina’s administration. Hasina, an autocratic leader, was forced to flee to India by helicopter during the uprising.
Although Shakib Al Hasan has not been formally charged, his association with the ousted government has made him a subject of investigation in connection to a violent police crackdown on protesters during the revolution. At the time of Hasina’s downfall, Shakib Al Hasan was in Canada, participating in a domestic Twenty20 competition. He has yet to return to Bangladesh, further fueling speculation about his legal and political circumstances.
Despite his impressive cricketing record—71 Tests, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20Is with a combined total of 712 wickets—Shakib Al Hasan’s influence on the international stage has diminished amid these ongoing controversies.
