Bangladesh pacer Jahanara Alam has come forward with serious allegations against a former selector and other board officials who acted inappropriately toward her during the 2022 ODI World Cup. Jahanara, who is currently away from competitive cricket and living in Australia due to a mental health break, claimed that indecent proposals from senior management began during that period.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has initiated an investigation into sexual harassment allegations. The BCB announced the formation of a committee to conduct an inquiry and submit its findings and recommendations within 15 working days. The board stated that it will take appropriate actions based on the committee's report.
Jahanara opens up about repeated harassment
Speaking on Riasat Azim’s YouTube channel, Jahanara revealed that she faced multiple indecent proposals from team officials but remained silent out of fear for her career.
"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," Jahanara said.
Jahanara added that she had approached senior officials, including women’s committee head Nadel Chowdhury and BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, but her complaints were repeatedly ignored.
During the conversation she explained that Manjurul’s behavior worsened after turning down his improper advances. Jahanara also pointed finger at the late Towhid Mahmud. The pacer said that in 2021, Towhid Bhai contacted her through Coordinator Sarfaraz Babu, adding that she had mentioned this several times before.
According to her, despite her efforts to remain silent and concentrate on cricket, Manju Bhai started to belittle and insult her the day after she politely rejected the proposal. She further claimed that even after she filed an observation letter with BCB officials, the situation remained unchanged.
"Towhid Bhai never spoke to me directly - he sent Babu Bhai instead. After about a year and a half, I submitted an 'Observation Letter' to the CEO, not a complaint, explaining everything. Babu Bhai had told me to 'look after Towhid Sir,' but I replied, 'He's the in-charge, what is there for me to look after?' I deliberately pretended not to understand the proposal. I'm sharing this so that other girls can also protect themselves this way. That's when Manju Bhai's bad behaviour started."
Jahanara said that the harassment persisted during the 2022 World Cup. She explained that Manju Bhai made another proposal at that time, which led her to report all the incidents from the previous year and a half to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. She mentioned repeatedly informing Nadel Sir, who would offer short-term solutions before the situation reverted, and that she also notified the CEO.
Jahanara claimed that Manjurul frequently overstepped professional boundaries and made players uneasy through unwarranted physical contact. She recounted that during a pre-camp session, while she was bowling, he placed his hand on her shoulder. According to her, he often pulled female players close, pressed them against him, and spoke uncomfortably near their ears.
The team would try to avoid such encounters, even keeping a distance during post-match handshakes to prevent being pulled in. Among themselves, they joked uneasily about his behavior, saying he was coming to hug them again. She also described an incident that deeply disturbed her. She added,
"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. I don't know why a manager or selector needed that information. When I said, 'Five days,' he replied, 'Five days? It should've ended yesterday. When your period is over, tell me - I have to look after my side too.' I just looked at him and said, 'Sorry, Bhaiya, I didn't understand.'"
Manjurul and others Deny Allegations
Responding to the allegations, Manjurul Islam dismissed Jahanara’s claims. He said, "What can I say apart from terming it as baseless. You can ask other cricketers whether I was good or bad," he told Cricbuzz.
Sarfaraz Babu also rejected Jahanara’s account, saying, "It's unfortunate she is dragging a dead man. I just want her to come up with proof instead of making baseless accusations."
