TIB urges inclusion of sexual harassment experts in BCB probe committee

Dhaka, Nov 9: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to include at least two experts with experience in investigating sexual harassment in the committee formed to probe allegations against a former selector and manager of the national women’s cricket team.

In a statement on Sunday, TIB said merely forming a committee is not enough to ensure impartiality and professionalism. 

The organisation expressed concern over the BCB’s lack of safeguarding policies and institutional frameworks to prevent sexual harassment as required by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the High Court’s 2009 directive.

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that BCB’s failure to act on previous complaints allowed impunity and raised questions whether male dominance in cricket has  been institutionalised.

He also called for the immediate formation of an independent, gender-sensitive committee to handle such complaints and for BCB to adopt a safeguarding policy in line with ICC standards. - UNB