BCB finds Shakib involved with Betwinner News

Bangladesh Cricket Board have found Shakib Al Hasan’s commercial involvement with Betwinnernews.com, a surrogate company for the online betting site betwinner.com.

During the press briefing after the board directors’ meeting at BCB, President Nazmul Hassan gave Shakib the benefit of the doubt by saying, “First, let us know what really happened. We should not depend on Facebook only and investigate what happened. We have to find it out. If it really happened, the cricket board will do the needful.”

BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told the media that Shakib confirmed his position in this regard.

“At first, we thought the picture was photoshopped as many such things flow over the internet. But on Thursday, after communicating with Shakib, we learned that he has signed the contract,” he said.

Nizamuddin said that Shakib thought it was some news-based website.

“What we have learned from him is that he thought it was a news-based website. Maybe, the company or agents have misguided him,” said the BCB CEO.

Shakib is guilty of two charges in this case. First, signing an endorsement deal without the consent of the board, and secondly, getting contracted with a surrogate company for an online betting site, which is not permitted in BCB’s endorsement guidelines and is also not legal according to the law of the land.

BCB CEO admitted that they learned about the endorsement after the signing.

“We learned from Shakib that he signed the contract after the news came out,” he said.

BCB suggested to Shakib that he cut ties with such an organisation to solve the crisis amicably.

“We have said it before that if he (Shakib) wants, he can make things simple. Otherwise, he can make things complex. We are hopeful that things will be resolved peacefully,” Nizamuddin said.

BCB also consulted with their legal department considering the issue, but the officials are hopeful that Shakib will not force them to take the hard way.