Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan arrest warrant
A Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant against Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan on Sunday over two bounced cheques. The former Awami League MP has come under extensive scrutiny since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. His links to the ousted leader have also made him a target of public anger in recent months. Hasan was also among dozens facing murder investigations for a deadly police crackdown on protesters during the uprising.
Hasan was playing in a domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Canada when the Bangladesh government collapsed last year. He is yet to return to the country fearing threat to his life. According to reports, Hasan had failed to appear in the court as ordered earlier over a case related to bounced cheques totalling more than $300,000.
“Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman issued the arrest warrant asking police submit a report on the execution of the order on March 24,” a court official told reporters on Sunday.
Often considered the greatest cricketer of Bangladesh, he had played his last Test match against India in Kanpur late last year. The Champions Trophy in Dubai was supposed to be his last appearance in Bangladesh colors — until he was left out of the squad earlier this week.
His position had become untenable after he was reported for a suspect bowling action in England last year. The 37-year-old remains suspended from bowling in all formats after a second assessment of his action last month. The ace cricketer has already quit test cricket and his 50-overs career appears over after the Champions Trophy snub.
A case was filed against the cricketer by International Finance Investment and Commerce (IFIC) Bank. The IFIC Bank earlier in October last year issued a legal notice over the bounced cheques in a subsequent development filed the case on December 24 against the cricketer-turned-businessman and three other officials of his company.
Two of the farm officials duly surrendered before the court today and pleaded for bail, which the court granted after a hearing. Shakib, the former captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team established a crab farm named Shakib Al Hasan Agro Farm in southwestern Satkhira in 2016. The company has reportedly been inactive since 2021.
(With inputs from agencies)