Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said he is almost certain he will not be returning home for a farewell Test match against South Africa next week with public anger over his silence during deadly protests in the country not subsiding.
Shakib, a former MP for the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina , whose 15-year rule as Prime Minister ended in August with her fleeing to India. Shakib was one of 147 people named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the unrest.
Shakib, 37, apologised for his silence last week and asked the fans to be present for his final Test at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The star all-rounder has not been home since protests erupted in July but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had assured him of safety when he returns to the country for the Test in Mirpur , which starts on Monday. A group which called itself as "Mirpur Chhatro Janata" informed the BCB that they will protest Shakib's appearance in the stadium if he were to play the Test.
"I am not sure where I am going next, but it is almost sure that I am not going home," Shakib told ESPNcricinfo.
The country's chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said in a press conference on Wednesday they had not received any further instructions from the cricket board or the cricket operations committee.
"It is a paused status at the moment. He is in transit in Dubai," Ashraf Hossain added.
Shakib is considered Bangladesh's greatest cricketer but his political past places the former captain in a tricky position as an interim government supervises a power transition.
As per news agency AFP, Youth and Sports adviser Asif Mahmud said in a statement that he had advised Shakib not to return home to 'avoid untoward situations'.
"I have advised Shakib not to come [to Bangladesh] to avoid any untoward circumstances. This decision was made to ensure the safety of players and to protect the country's image," Asif said.
Shakib had announced his intention to retire from Test cricket in September.
He played 71 Tests, 247 One-Day Internationals and 129 Twenty20 Internationals, amassing 14,730 runs and claiming 712 wickets to establish himself as one of the leading all-rounders of his era.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Shakib, a former MP for the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina , whose 15-year rule as Prime Minister ended in August with her fleeing to India. Shakib was one of 147 people named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the unrest.
Shakib, 37, apologised for his silence last week and asked the fans to be present for his final Test at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The star all-rounder has not been home since protests erupted in July but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had assured him of safety when he returns to the country for the Test in Mirpur , which starts on Monday. A group which called itself as "Mirpur Chhatro Janata" informed the BCB that they will protest Shakib's appearance in the stadium if he were to play the Test.
"I am not sure where I am going next, but it is almost sure that I am not going home," Shakib told ESPNcricinfo.
The country's chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said in a press conference on Wednesday they had not received any further instructions from the cricket board or the cricket operations committee.
"It is a paused status at the moment. He is in transit in Dubai," Ashraf Hossain added.
Shakib is considered Bangladesh's greatest cricketer but his political past places the former captain in a tricky position as an interim government supervises a power transition.
As per news agency AFP, Youth and Sports adviser Asif Mahmud said in a statement that he had advised Shakib not to return home to 'avoid untoward situations'.
"I have advised Shakib not to come [to Bangladesh] to avoid any untoward circumstances. This decision was made to ensure the safety of players and to protect the country's image," Asif said.
Shakib had announced his intention to retire from Test cricket in September.
He played 71 Tests, 247 One-Day Internationals and 129 Twenty20 Internationals, amassing 14,730 runs and claiming 712 wickets to establish himself as one of the leading all-rounders of his era.
(with inputs from Reuters)
