Chief of the Bangladesh players received death threats for defending cricketers

Not just Mohammad Mithun but a few other Bangladeshi cricketers also received death threats.

After the atrocities faced by Indians in Bangladesh recently, there has been massive backlash around allowing cricketers from Bangladesh to play in India. This reportedly resulted in several Bangladeshi cricketers receiving death threats. Now, Bangladesh players’ chief says he has also received death threats.

Mohammad Mithun says he received death threats.

Bangladesh Cricketers’ Welfare Association (CWAB) president Mohammad Mithun said he received death threats for defending players targeted by derogatory remarks from a top Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Mithun asserted that the national team players will participate in the T20 World Cup, which starts early next month. However, the players fear for their security. Bangladesh has requested a shift of their league matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing these concerns. Recently, the players boycotted matches in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) after BCB director Najmul Islam warned that players would not be compensated if the country withdrew from the World Cup. He added that players had little justification for the payout. Mithun said, “I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s the first time in my life. I don’t remember ever being involved in controversial talk. It’s going over my head – when have I ever spoken against the country? I don’t know how to take this or describe it, as it happens with me for the first time. I haven’t used any word that goes against the country; I only spoke for the interest of cricket and the players.”

Apart from Mithun, other Bangladeshi players have also reportedly received death threats.

Mithun added, “There is no personal issue here. Since I’m the president of an organisation, if I don’t talk about players’ rights, what’s the point of me being in this position? No one is above the country.” He said that apart from him, other Bangladeshi players have also received death threats, but he hasn’t yet informed the BCB. He said, “I haven’t informed the board. To be honest, I am not picking up calls from unknown numbers on my mobile. But I can’t stop messages or voice notes on WhatsApp. I was asked about this there. It’s not just me; my number is available to people because it goes to the press on behalf of CWAB. That’s why I receive more (calls and messages). But I’ve heard from other players, too, that they have received threats, different ways and types of threats. I haven’t talked to the board about this yet. I don’t even know how to take help from law enforcement because I have never gone to a police station for any legal matter in my life.”

Speaking about the burning issue surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in the impending T20 World Cup, Mithun said, “We definitely want player safety and security. We never want anyone to go and play under a life threat. We don’t want that. But at the same time, we want the player to play in the World Cup because a World Cup is a World Cup. I believe the board and the Government will take a decision keeping the players’ welfare in mind.”