Expressing concerns at Bangladeshi cricketers’ involvement in match-fixing, a parliamentary watchdog Tuesday recommended formulating a law against the vice, stipulating tough punishment for the offenders.The parliamentary standing committee on youth and sports at its meeting suggested that the ministry and the Bangladesh Cricket Board seek out the players involved in match-fixing.
“The officials of the ministry and the cricket board have informed us that there is no general law against match-fixing. The board can punish according to its own rules.
“So, we have recommended enacting a new law against match-fixing as soon as possible,” Zahid Ahsan Russel, the committee chairman, told the Dhaka Tribune after the meeting.
He said BCB officials had told the watchdog that they had been examining the laws against match-fixing in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
“We have also recommended seeking out others involved in match-fixing,” said Russel.
Last month, the media exposed a match-fixing scandal in the Bangladesh Premier League, specifying the involvement of Mohammad Ashraful, who was later banned from all forms of the game. The ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit had investigated the scandal.
The parliamentary body also formed a five-member committee to ensure the quality of sport items and to examine the tendering processes for purchasing gaming materials to see if it is in line with the government rules or not.
Committee members State Minister for Sports Ahad Ali Sarkar, Shamsul Huq Choudhury and Mahbub Ara Gini attended the meeting.
– Agencies
