Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
Cricketers caught by scandals one after another have severely tarnished the image of Bangladesh’s cricket home and abroad, insiders said.
Caught by a new scandal, police on Sunday arrested national cricketer Arafat Sunny for allegedly breaching strict internet laws after his girlfriend accused him of uploading sensitive photos on social media.
Sunny is the third national team cricketer to have been arrested in recent years, after pacer Rubel Hossain and Shahadat Hossain.
Police arrested Sunny, the 30-year-old slow left-arm bowler, from his Aminbazar residence after his longtime girlfriend filed a complaint two weeks ago.
“We have arrested him after his longtime girlfriend filed a complaint two weeks ago,” Jamaluddin Mir, Officer-in-Charge of Mohammpur Police Station told media.
Quoting the case statement, he said, “Sunny opened up a fake Facebook account of her’s and posted their personal photos, which she found offensive and defamatory. “We have arrested him and sent him to the court.”
The case was filed by Nasrin Sultana on January 5, 2017.
Nasrin on Tuesday filed a dowry case against him claiming herself wife of the cricketer.
Sunny was denied bail yesterday and sent to jail after completion of his remand in the case filed under ICT Act.
Sunny during remand on Monday, denied the allegations and said that they were fabricated.
He, however, acknowledged his relationship with the woman.
The spinner has played 16 one-day internationals, taking 24 wickets, and 10 Twenty20 internationals in which he picked up 12 wickets.
He was suspended from international matches during the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 for an illegal bowling action.
If found guilty Sunny could face up to 14 years in jail or a fine of 10 million taka under the controversial law, which local right groups say is being used to crack down on dissent.
Nizamuddin Chowdhury, chief executive of Bangladesh Cricket Board, told The New Nation yesterday that it is a personal matter. The board cannot make an official comment on it.
“We are observing the situation. If Sunny is found guilty, the BCB would not take the responsibility of his offense,” he added.
When asked, he said, “Such kinds of scandals by cricketers are unacceptable. They are matured enough…They must keep themselves away from scandals for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket as well as their wellbeing”. Scandals can also produce some negative image for Bangladesh cricket in international arena.
Replying to a question, Nizamuddin Chowdhury said, the cricket board is not a policing authority. It cannot look into every step of the national cricketers as well as their personal life.
“As such incidents are happening frequently, the BCB is taking steps to formulate a stringent ‘code of conduct’ for the cricketers. Such a move may help contain scandals by the cricketers in future,” he said.
Prior to Sunny, Rubel Hossain was jailed in 2015 after he was charged in a rape case filed by an actress who claimed to be his fiancé. The fast bowler was however granted bail days after his arrest to join the squad for the 2015 World Cup. The actress later withdrew the charges.
Shahadat spent nearly two months in custody last year after he and his wife were arrested on charges of torturing an 11-year-old girl whom he employed as a maid. A court later acquitted the couple. The BCB earlier levied a record fine on two other national team players for serious breaches of discipline.
Pace bowler Al-Amin Hossain and batsman Sabbir Rahman were both fined around $15,000 after they reportedly entertained female guests in their hotel rooms during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) tournament.
Meanwhile, BCB chief Nazmul Hasan Papon has said that Sunny would be banned from all forms of crickets if he adjudges guilty by court. He came up with the warning at a press briefing held in the capital yesterday.
