NSC barred from amending BCB constitution

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BDB) president Nazmul Hassan has called for swift elections after the Supreme Court ruled that the board can amend its constitution without interference from the National Sports Council (NSC), the government regulatory body for sports.

The Supreme Court said the NSC has no authority in amending the BCB constitution.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order after disposing the appeal that was filed against a High Court verdict that declared an amendment to BCB’s constitution, made by the National Sports Council, as illegal on January 27, 2013. On the following day, an appeal to stay the order was granted by the High Court.

In November 2012, former BCB director Mobasher Hossain and Yusuf Jamil Babu filed a writ at the Dhaka High Court, challenging the legality of the BCB constitution’s amendment.

“We are waiting to receive a copy of the full verdict but the case has been dismissed,” Hassan said. “From what we have heard, it has been a very positive verdict for Bangladesh cricket. Now we have to quickly announce dates for AGM and EGM to make changes to the constitution.”The court will issue directives and make some observations about the authority of the BCB and the NSC in a full judgment, which will be released later.