Former BCB Director and Two Others Face ICC Anti-Corruption Charges

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-02

The Bangladesh Cricket Board's integrity unit just dropped a significant announcement. They've charged three individuals, including a former board director, with breaching multiple provisions of the ICC's anti-corruption code. These charges aren't coming out of nowhere—they're tied directly to roles played during last season's Bangladesh Premier League. It's a move that signals the board is getting serious about cleaning house, and it's got everyone in the cricket world paying attention. ### The Charges and the Individuals Involved BCB confirmed the news through a press release on Tuesday. They identified Mukhlesur Rahman, a former board director, as one of the three facing charges. The integrity unit actually opened its investigation into Rahman back in January. That was right after journalist Riasad Azim published a report on his official Facebook page. It's interesting how social media can sometimes kickstart these official processes, isn't it? Rahman's journey to this point is pretty telling. He joined the BCB board after the October 6 elections, and the then-president, Aminul Islam, later appointed him chairman of the audit committee. That's a position of real trust. He stepped down from the board shortly after Azim's report came out in January. But the integrity unit didn't stop there—they kept building their case against him over the following months. The charge sheet against Rahman includes four separate articles from the ICC code. One of them is Article 2.1.1, which covers fixing, contriving to fix, or improperly influencing a match's result or conduct. This specifically relates to the 12th edition of the BPL T20. He's not alone in this. Two other individuals were named alongside him: Zakir Hasan, a former BCB security liaison officer, and Rakibul Islam Sunny, a BCB councillor who also served on the audit committee. ### A Pattern Emerges Across Tournament Seasons This isn't an isolated event. This round of charges builds on an investigation that's been running for months and now spans several recent tournament seasons. Think about it—back in May, the integrity unit charged four other individuals in connection with the same probe. That group even included a domestic player. One of them, Saminur Rahman, who played for Chattogram Royals during the 2025-26 BPL season, received a lifetime ban. The unit found him guilty of betting-related violations among other charges. That's a career-ending decision, and it shows the unit isn't playing around. When you look at the two rounds of charges together, a clear pattern emerges. It's a pattern the board has apparently been trying to address for some time. BCB president Tamim Iqbal has said in recent weeks that he doesn't want to continue running the BPL in its current structure. That comment alone speaks volumes about the growing concern within the board over how the tournament has been managed in past editions. ### Who's Leading the Charge for Clean Cricket? The unit responsible for these charges operates under Alex Marshall. He's a figure well known in global cricket administration circles for his prior work with the ICC's own anti-corruption division. Marshall currently works alongside a team of four to five investigators as the unit examines conduct across multiple BPL seasons. On the legal side, Barrister Mahin M Rahman serves as the unit's general counsel, overseeing these proceedings. It's a dedicated team focusing on a complex issue. With charges now filed against seven individuals across two separate rounds this year, the BCB's investigation into the BPL shows no sign of slowing down. The big question hanging over everything is how the board will eventually restructure the tournament. If President Tamim follows through on his stated position, we could see some major changes heading into future seasons. That restructuring could define the league's credibility for years to come.