Bangladesh court issues arrest warrant against former skipper Shakib Al Hasan

A Dhaka court, on Sunday (January 19, 2025), issued an arrest warrant against Bangladesh all-rounder and former Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan over two bounced bank cheques.

Mr. Hasan hasn't returned to Bangladesh fearing a threat to his life after deposed PM Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee the country due to civil unrest last year.

“Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman issued the arrest warrant asking police to submit a report on the execution of the order on March 24,” a court official told reporters.

He said the warrant was issued as Mr. Hasan, also the chairman of an agriculture farm, failed to appear in the court as ordered earlier over a case related to bounced cheques.

Another identical warrant was issued against the managing director of the farm Gazi Shahagir Hossain as well as since he too did not respond to the summon.

Mr. Hasan, Bangladesh's greatest-ever cricketer played his last Test match against India in Kanpur late last year. The Champions Trophy in Dubai is supposed to be his last appearance in Bangladesh colours.

Currently he is banned from bowling in all forms of cricket due to suspect action.

The cricketer, who now lives in the United States, was elected as an MP on the Awami League ticket during the January 7, 2024 elections.

A case was filed against the cricketer by International Finance Investment and Commerce (IFIC) Bank.

The IFIC Bank earlier in October last year issued a legal notice over the bounced cheques in a subsequent development and filed the case on December 24 against the cricketer-turned-businessman and three other officials of his company.

Two of the farm officials duly surrendered before the court today (January 19, 2025) and pleaded for bail, which the court granted after a hearing.

Mr. Hasan, the former captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team established a crab farm named Shakib Al Hasan Agro Farm in southwestern Satkhira in 2016. The company has reportedly been inactive since 2021.

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