The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is preparing to establish an Independent Complaint Committee for women cricketers to provide them with a fair and separate platform to raise concerns. The proposal was discussed during a working committee meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on October 28. A BCB official confirmed on Monday, November 2, that the members had agreed on the need to form such a committee. However, the proposal has not yet received formal approval and must be presented at a board meeting before it can move forward. The board is now considering a structure that will allow the committee to handle complaints without interference from its existing officials.
The need for a stronger complaint system gained attention following allegations made by former Bangladesh women’s cricket team captain Jahanara Alam. She accused a member of the team management of sexually assaulting her during the 2022 Women’s World Cup. Following her allegations, the BCB formed an inquiry committee to investigate the matter. At the same time, the board announced that it wanted to improve its institutional safeguards by introducing a formal complaint system. The incident also highlighted the importance of having a proper process through which women cricketers could report their concerns and receive a fair hearing.
As part of its response, the BCB announced the adoption of a BCB Complaint Committee in accordance with the High Court Division’s 2009 judgement. The committee was headed by Rubaba Dowla, a BCB Director and Chairperson of the Women’s Wing Committee. Apart from its complaint-related responsibilities, the committee was also asked to work towards setting up an independent complaint mechanism. It was further entrusted with introducing mandatory awareness training to help create a safe and respectful environment across Bangladesh cricket. These measures were intended to strengthen the board’s existing arrangements and improve the way complaints were addressed.
However, the board is now considering a different approach to the committee’s structure and leadership. It is unlikely that the Complaint Committee will be headed by any serving BCB director. Instead, the plan is to bring in people from outside the organisation so that the committee can work independently. Some senior board officials reportedly believe that this would help prevent conflicts of interest during investigations. If a complaint is made against an employee of a particular committee, its members could potentially influence or disrupt the investigation. External members are therefore being considered to keep the process fair and independent.
The proposal was discussed during the working committee meeting on October 28, where members agreed that a separate complaint body was needed. A BCB director who is part of the 11-member working committee confirmed the discussion, saying, “Yes, the matter (formation of an Independent Complaint Committee) was raised during the last working committee meeting, and we agreed that we need to form it.” The official also clarified that the decision was not final because the proposal still needed to be placed before the board. Explaining its present status, the director said, “It hasn’t been approved yet. I mean, the proposal has been raised, but it hasn’t been approved (as it needs to be tabled at the board meeting).”
The board’s preference for outside members is mainly based on the need to protect investigations from internal involvement. The official explained that the committee should be able to examine complaints regardless of who is named in them. Describing this approach, the director said, “We want to bring people from outside for the committee, as it will ensure that if a woman cricketer files a complaint against anyone, we have a free and fair investigation.” This would give women players a separate channel to report their experiences without worrying about possible interference from people connected to the matter. It would also support the board’s aim of making the complaint process more independent.
The proposal is now awaiting formal approval at a BCB board meeting. Its discussion reflects the board’s plan to improve the existing complaint system while changing the way such matters are handled. The earlier committee, the proposed outside membership and mandatory awareness training are all part of the measures mentioned by the board. The main aim remains to create an environment where women cricketers can raise concerns without hesitation or fear. Through the proposed independent structure, the BCB is looking to strengthen its safeguards and provide a fairer process for addressing complaints across Bangladesh cricket.
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Source: femalecricket.com
