NEW DELHI: Mohammad Mithun, president of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), has revealed that he received death threats after speaking up for players who were subjected to derogatory remarks by a senior Bangladesh Cricket Board official.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Mithun stressed that while he wants the Bangladesh national team to participate in next month's T20 World Cup, it should not come at the cost of player safety. Bangladesh has requested that its four preliminary World Cup matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.
The situation escalated after Bangladesh's cricketers went on strike in protest against comments made by BCB director Najmul Islam. Najmul had stated that players would not be paid if the team withdrew from the tournament in the event the ICC declined to relocate the matches, and also questioned whether the players' achievements warranted any compensation.
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"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?" Mithun said.
"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.
"There is no personal issue here. Since I'm the president of an organization, 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 added.
Mithun said he has not officially reported the life threats to the BCB so far, but added that he has learned some players have also been targeted with similar threatening messages.
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"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," he said.
"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."
He then touched on the burning issue of whether Bangladesh should travel to India for the World Cup. Mithun said he wants the team to play the big event but not with a security threat hanging on the players.
"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," he said.
Bangladesh's refusal to travel to India was preceded by the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL on BCCI's instructions amid attacks on Hindus here. Though the Indian Board did not specifically cite that as the reason, the Bangladesh government and Board expressed their anger at the decision.
(With PTI Inputs)
