‘Business background helps develop organising skills’

Businessman and sports enthusiast Fahim Rahman Sinha was elected as a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board in the recently concluded election. In discussion with The Business Post’s Samiur Rahman, he spoke about his visions for the country’s cricket.

TBP: You are the son of a very famous industrialist and sports organizer late Afzalur Rahman Sinha, who was a BCB director and carried out some key roles. Is stepping in his shoes an inspiration or some kind of pressure?

Fahim Sinha: Actually, no one is going to compare me with my father. I am here to give what I can from my learnings and abilities. I don’t feel any pressure because BCB is not a place where I replaced my father. But as my father was a renowned sports organiser, everyone says that I have come in his place but in reality, things are not like that.

TBP: You have been elected as a BCB director for the first time. What is your goal now, and how do you think you can contribute best?

Fahim Sinha: Let’s see what duties I get. I think there are immense opportunities for development in all the departments. I will try to work with the designated department and try to make it more effective. Other than that, I can also do supportive works for other departments.

TBP: You were the team manager for Bangladesh A team twice, in light of that, what is your area of preference?

Fahim Sinha: I was the manager for the under-19 team during Asia Cup and World Cup in 2012. That is an experience where I worked directly with the teams. The role of a manager is a bit technical as you have to work directly with the players from their psychology to discipline, we worked on many areas. If I am given those opportunities, I will carry that out happily. But I think for the past seven or eight years, former cricketers are doing well in that role. As you see, our three former captains, Naimur Rahman, Akram Khan and Khaled Mahmud are heading High-Performance, Cricket Operations and Game Development committees.

TBP: So apart from the technical sides, what are the other areas you think you can bring positive changes to?

Fahim Sinha: As we run a big organisation like Acme, we work more or less on everything. We have to work on new projects every now and then. Finance, Logistics, everything is part of our daily business operations. I have a business background. There are quite a few departments, and after the distribution of duties, whatever is decided for me, I will work with that.

TBPs: In BPL, we see many big business houses interested to participate either as title sponsors or franchise owners. You are one of the directors at Acme, and you also have the experience of running a cricket team. Do you have any plans for taking part in BPL?

Fahim Sinha: As my father was the chairman of the governing body of BPL, he focused on running the tournament properly. As I am a BCB director now, I will look for an opportunity to work in any committee or working body of the BPL. I will focus on the whole tournament, not any particular team, as I represent BCB. My focus will be on running BPL properly.

TBP: How do sports and business interconnect? What is the chemistry between these two sectors for you?

Fahim Sinha: It’s the calculation. Whenever we sign an expensive player, for say, for Surjo Torun, we expect him to perform. Overall, if you have a business background apart from technical areas, it will help you develop the organising skills. There are many things involved in running a team- finances, logistics. Running a business helps in those areas. One thing I believe is that besides the technical areas, the back-end things are also very important. I can put my learnings from business in the off-field, behind the scene areas.