Former Bangladesh captain Jahanara Alam has accused members of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s women’s team management of sexual harassment during the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. The veteran seamer, who stepped away from international cricket in January and now lives in Australia, claimed that former selector and manager Manjurul Islam made repeated inappropriate advances toward her, which she rejected.
Jahanara further alleged that late former BCB official Towhid Mahmud also attempted to approach her through a staff member, Sarfaraz Babu. She stated that her complaints to BCB women’s committee head Nadel Chowdhury and CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury were ignored.
According to Jahanara, the mistreatment began after she refused these advances, and her professional growth was deliberately obstructed. She said she chose to speak out now to ensure a safer environment for future women cricketers in Bangladesh.
“I faced several times (indecent proposal), not once. Definitely, when we are involved with the team, we cannot speak out about many things, even if we want to. When it comes to your bread and butter, when you are known by a few people, you cannot say or protest many things even if you want to,” Jahanara told Riasad Azim YouTube channel on Thursday.
“In 2021, Towhid Bhai approached me through Babu Bhai (Coordinator Sarfaraz Babu). I’ve said this many times before. I don’t know why they misbehaved with me. I tried hard to stay quiet and focus on cricket. But when I tactfully avoided the proposal, Manju Bhai began humiliating and insulting me from the very next day,” she continued.
“Towhid Bhai never spoke to me directly — he sent Babu Bhai instead. After about a year and a half, I submitted an ‘Observation Letter’ to the CEO, not a complaint, explaining everything. Babu Bhai had told me to ‘look after Towhid Sir,’ but I replied, ‘He’s the in-charge, what is there for me to look after?’ I deliberately pretended not to understand the proposal. I’m sharing this so that other girls can also protect themselves this way. That’s when Manju Bhai’s bad behaviour started,” Jahanara added.
Misconduct During New Zealand Camp
The former skipper also alleged that the official made personal remarks about her menstrual cycle, questioning her in a manner she found disturbing.
“During our pre-camp, while I was bowling, he came up and placed his hand on my shoulder. He had a habit of pulling girls close, pressing them to his chest, and talking near their ears. We used to avoid him — even during handshakes after matches, we would extend our hands from a distance so he couldn’t pull us in. Among ourselves, we’d joke nervously, ‘He’s coming, he’ll hug us again,” Jahanara said.
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“Once he came near me, held my hand, put his arm on my shoulder, leaned close to my ear, and asked, ‘How many days has your period been?’ He already knew, since physios track players’ cycles for health reasons as per ICC guidelines. I don’t know why a manager or selector needed that information. When I said, ‘Five days,’ he replied, ‘Five days? It should’ve ended yesterday. When your period is over, tell me — I have to look after my side too.’ I just looked at him and said, ‘Sorry, Bhaiya, I didn’t understand’,” she added.
Accused Officials Deny Allegations, Call Them Baseless
Meanwhile, the accused officials, Manjurul Islam and Sarfaraz Babu, have denied all allegations, calling them fabricated and baseless. They urged for evidence to support the claims.
“What can I say apart from terming it as baseless. You can ask other cricketers whether I was good or bad” Manjurul was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
“It’s unfortunate she is dragging a dead man I just want her to come up with proof instead of making baseless accusations,” said Babu.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has acknowledged the allegations and stated that it will review the situation carefully. Officials said the board will meet soon to determine the next steps and launch a formal investigation if deemed necessary after internal discussions.
Last Updated on November 7, 2025
