Dhaka [Bangladesh], January 15 (ANI): The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) has issued an ultimatum to the Director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), M Nazmul Islam, that if he doesn't resign from his post, the players will boycott all forms of cricket.

CWAB president Mohammad Mithun stated that due to various controversial remarks made by BCB Director Nazmul Islam about the cricketers -- including calling former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal an 'agent of India' -- the players are demanding his resignation.

'The director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), M Nazmul Islam, must resign by 1 PM (local time) Thursday. If he does not resign, the cricketers will boycott all forms of cricket. The ultimatum is that he must step down before the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, which will begin at 1 PM Local Time,' Mithun said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Earlier, former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal was derided as an 'Indian agent' by none other than BCB director M Najmul Islam after Iqbal called for a dialogue to resolve current tensions in cricketing ties between the two nations due to the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Amid uncertainty about Bangladesh's visit to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, former men's team captain Tamim Iqbal said the BCB should resolve the issue through dialogue, keeping the country's cricketing interests and future at the forefront. Tamim made this statement on the sidelines of the trophy-unveiling ceremony of the Zia Inter-University Cricket Tournament at the City Club ground on January 9.

'Since I am not involved [with the BCB], like any other regular person, I am finding things out through the media. But I am sure those dealing with these matters have a lot more information. So in that regard, I should not suddenly be making comments. What I am saying, however, is that Bangladesh cricket's interest, future and everything else must be considered before making such a decision. There is nothing better than if something can be resolved through dialogue,' Tamim had earlier said as per The Daily Star.

Bangladesh's visit to India for their T20 WC fixtures is uncertain as of now, with the BCB putting forth a request to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its matches outside India due to keeping 'safety, security concerns' of players in mind. This request came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release pacer Mustafizur from their IPL 2026 squad, and the move was carried out, amid atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Tamim Iqbal said that sensitive issues should be discussed internally within the board before any public comments, as statements can be hard to retract. He again emphasised that Bangladesh cricket's future takes priority, and since most funding comes from the ICC, decisions should focus on what benefits the sport in the country.

'What I feel, and I think I would have done the same if I were there, is that since this is a sensitive issue, before making public comments, we would discuss the matter ourselves [within the board]. Because when you make a public comment, right or wrong, it becomes difficult to step back from that position. Bangladesh cricket's future comes before everything else, and 90 to 95 per cent of the finances come from the ICC, so decisions have to be made based on what will help Bangladesh cricket,' Tamim added.

The BCB Director's remark had angered cricket fans nationwide, and several of Tamim's teammates had also expressed outrage.

Standing by Tamim, players including Mominul Haque, Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam had posted statements on social media one after another, protesting the director's comment.

After Mustafizur's release from the IPL, BCB said it had received a response from the ICC regarding its concerns about player security and safety in India during the T20 WC, including a request to relocate matches to another venue. The BCB said that in its communication, the ICC reiterated its commitment to ensuring the Bangladesh team's complete and uninterrupted participation in the tournament.

Bangladesh are scheduled to open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After the West Indies, Bangladesh will face Italy on February 9 at the same venue, then face the 2022 T20 World Cup champions, England, in Kolkata again. After facing England, Bangladesh are scheduled to travel to Mumbai to play Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. (ANI)