Bangladesh Cricketer Jahanara Alam Accuses Former Selector Manjurul Islam of Sexual Harassment

Bangladesh cricketer Jahanara Alam has publicly accused former selector Manjurul Islam of sexual harassment. She claims that during the 2022 Women's ODI World Cup, she faced inappropriate proposals from the national team management. Jahanara, currently on a mental health break, alleges that Manjurul's actions hindered her career when she rejected his advances.

Jahanara shared her experiences on Riasat Azim's YouTube channel. "I faced several times (indecent proposal), not once. Definitely, when we are involved with the team, we cannot speak out about many things, even if we want to. When it comes to your bread and butter, when you are known by a few people, you cannot say or protest many things even if you want to," she stated.

Allegations Against Team Management

She sought help from senior officials within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) but found little support. Jahanara mentioned that Nadel Chowdhury, head of the women's committee, and BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury did not address her complaints effectively.

Jahanara recounted an incident involving Towhid Bhai, who approached her through Sarfaraz Babu. "In 2021, Towhid Bhai approached me through Babu Bhai (Coordinator Sarfaraz Babu). I've said this many times before. I don't know why they misbehaved with me. I tried hard to stay quiet and focus on cricket. But when I tactfully avoided the proposal, Manju Bhai began humiliating and insulting me from the very next day," she explained in the video.

Uncomfortable Encounters

She described how Manjurul would get too close to female players during training sessions. "During our pre-camp, while I was bowling, he came up and placed his hand on my shoulder. He had a habit of pulling girls close, pressing them to his chest, and talking near their ears," Jahanara recalled.

Jahanara also narrated a specific incident where Manjurul asked about her menstrual cycle inappropriately. "Once he came near me, held my hand, put his arm on my shoulder, leaned close to my ear, and asked, 'How many days has your period been?' He already knew since physios track players' cycles for health reasons as per ICC guidelines," she said.

Denials and Reactions

Manjurul has denied all allegations against him. "What can I say apart from terming it as baseless? You can ask other cricketers whether I was good or bad," he responded according to Cricbuzz.

Babu also dismissed Jahanara's claims as fabricated stories. "It's unfortunate she is dragging a dead man. I just want her to come up with proof instead of making baseless accusations," Babu commented.

BCB's Response

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has acknowledged the seriousness of these allegations. Shakhawat Hossain, BCB vice-chairman stated: "The allegations are quite serious, and so we have to sit and decide what should be our next course of action, and if required, we will certainly have an investigation."