Dhaka, August 7, 2026: The Bangladesh government on Friday ruled out any possibility of former cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan returning to competitive cricket after he participated in a media event featuring ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who remains a convicted fugitive.
Shakib joined the event by telephone from New Delhi on Wednesday, where Hasina addressed journalists two years after being removed from power following a deadly crackdown on student-led protests.
Bangladesh’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, said the government had previously adopted a flexible approach towards Shakib despite his political affiliation with Hasina’s former ruling Awami League.
Shakib, who is currently in Sri Lanka, is among several former Awami League leaders and associates facing murder investigations linked to the police crackdown on protesters that led to the fall of Hasina’s government.
“We had been looking at the matter with considerable flexibility and tolerance. After this, I do not think there is any room to think that way anymore,” the minister said in a statement.
“Someone who has taken the stage with the autocrat no longer has any opportunity to return,” he added.
The 39-year-old all-rounder is widely regarded as Bangladesh’s greatest cricketer, having played more than 400 international matches and represented the country in five ICC World Cups.
Human rights organizations have long accused the former Hasina administration of widespread abuses, including political repression, extrajudicial killings, manipulation of the judiciary and conducting unfair elections.
In November 2025, a court in Dhaka convicted Hasina in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death. She has since remained in India.
Shakib had announced his retirement plans in September 2024 after Bangladesh’s second Test against India but later indicated that he wanted to conclude his international career after playing a full series.
Although the Bangladesh Cricket Board had indicated in January that he remained eligible to return, his participation in Wednesday’s event alongside Sheikh Hasina has triggered widespread criticism and appears to have ended any prospects of a comeback.
