Doctors told me to stay away from cricket: Papon

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon has deliberately avoided the question of whether he would take part in the next election of the board. The term of the current BCB committee headed by Nazmul Hasan Papon will end next October. Papon said he also has different plans for the president of the board as he is physically ill and has to spend a lot of time playing cricket.

"Will I hold an election or not? I have been repeatedly told by the doctor to stay away from cricket as soon as possible. Doctors said at least don't do these things (constant contact with cricketers) even if you are on the board,” Papon said in a press conference at the BCB’s AGM held Thursday at a local hotel in the city.

However, referring to his love for cricket, the BCB boss added, "One of my bad things is that if Bangladesh loses, I can't take it. When Bangladesh loses, my mood gets bad. None of my wife and children come in front of me. There are many more like me, who cannot accept the defeat. It feels so bad! “

Papon said they will make a decision on the next election in the next board meeting, which will be held on September 1.

 "We have decided at the AGM, we will decide on the election at the board meeting on September 1. We will announce the date of the election very soon,” he said.

Nazmul Hasan Papon first took charge in October 2012. After the then head of the BCB, AHM Mustafa Kamal, was appointed vice-president of the ICC, Papon nominated by the government. Then in October 2013, he took charge as the first elected president of the BCB. Before the 2013 elections, the panel of Papon's potential opposition Saber Hossain Chowdhury withdrew, questioning the transparency of the election process. Papon was therefore elected unopposed.

In 2017, there was no opposition due to which he was re-elected without any contest. If he chooses to stay at this position, he has the chance to be elected president for the hat-trick time as so far no one has shown interest in the election.

The BCB chief claimed that he has to spend a lot of time on the cricket board. “From our board Jalal Younus went to New Zealand, Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby went to Zimbabwe. They were surprised to know that I've been watching the game since dawn, I called them there at 7 o'clock at morning and talked to them at the breakfast table. Then we talk about the team. In fact, cricket is taking too much time. '

Nazmul Hasan Papon also said that he has his own personal plan for the election. “There is no doubt about it. This election will be a little different. It may not be like other times. I hope it will be as I propose.”