Bangladesh
Bangladesh cricket referee ‘resigns’ after anti-govt protest
Bangladeshi cricket referee Debabrata Paul resigns, allegedly under pressure, after joining opposition protests.
Supporters claim he felt criticized and uncomfortable due to his participation.
![](https://gutzymedia.s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp/2023/08/17063011/pexels-aboodi-vesakaran-13992209-2-1-2.png)
DHAKA, BANGLADESH — A top Bangladeshi cricket referee said Monday he had “resigned” after taking part in anti-government protests, with supporters alleging he was pushed out under pressure.
Debabrata Paul, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) match referee coordinator, took part in a rally of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday, sparking criticism from other officials at the influential board.
“I found the situation really uncomfortable, so I resigned,” Paul told AFP, declining to comment further.
But supporters close to Paul said he had been castigated by BCB directors in players’ messaging groups for taking part in the protest and that he felt “abused”.
Paul, who represents Bangladesh in the FICA, the global cricket players’ association, had been serving as a match referee in local leagues since 2006, and has overseen 134 domestic matches.
BCB umpires committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman said that he had spoken to Paul over his participation in the protest, but denied he had been forced to quit.
“We are also shocked at his resignation,” Rahman told AFP. “We did not put any pressure on him.”
The opposition BNP is seeking the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in elections slated for January.
BCB president Nazmul Hassan is a lawmaker for Hasina’s ruling Awami League, as is former captain Mashrafe Mortaza.
— AFP
![](https://gutzy.asia/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gutzy-Logo-whiteS.png)
-
Politics1 week ago
Jamus Lim on Minister Chee Hong Tat’s remarks on fiscal policy: Calls for genuine debate over rhetoric
-
Politics2 weeks ago
SM Lee: Singaporeans must ‘change attitudes’ as Govt promises ‘bold and necessary changes’
-
Community2 weeks ago
Toast Box faces backlash and boycott calls amid price increases
-
Media1 week ago
Notice to Our Readers: Moving Back to The Online Citizen
-
Singapore2 weeks ago
Singapore introduces new scheme in April 2025 offering up to S$6,000 in financial support for retrenched workers
-
Politics2 weeks ago
Jamus Lim raises concerns over high cost of living and its impact on Singaporeans’ sense of belonging
-
Opinion1 week ago
Chee Hong Tat’s call for fiscal prudence rings hollow amid contradictory government spending
-
Singapore1 week ago
Tan Suee Chieh: Sacrificing NTUC Income’s values for short-term gains undermines its foundation