The Dhaka court, on January 19 (Sunday), issued an arrest warrant against the former captain and the premier all-rounder of Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan, in connection with the dishonored cheque involving the IFIC bank. The veteran has been under immense trouble, not featuring in any game since the Abu Dhabi Premier League in November 2024.
The country is enjoying its 20-over premier league, BPL, despite the absence of their poster boy, Shakib Al Hasan, who, at one point, was the face of Bangladesh Cricket. He announced his home Test retirement during the second of the two-match series against India at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur but couldn’t turn up in any of those red-ball clashes against South Africa.
The arrest warrant was issued against the former Awami League lawmaker, Shakib, who has been staying abroad since their former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, fled the country following her ousting during a student movement in Bangladesh. The warrant also includes three other individuals.
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The order was issued on Sunday (January 19) by the Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahaman.
On December 15, Shakib Al Hassan was named in the cheque fraud case. On December 18, the court ordered him to appear before it on January 19 after the initial hearing took place. The Relationship officer of the IFIC Bank, Shahibur Rahman, filed the case on behalf of the bank.
Arrest Warrant issued against Shakib Al Hasan over cheque case
He accused the 37-year-old and three others of failing to honor a commitment to transfer BDT 41457000 (approximately 41.4 million Tk) via two separate cheques.
The case also implicated the company of Shakib Al Hasan, Al Hasan Agro Farm Ltd., its Managing Director, Gazi Shahagir Hossein, and the directors Emdadul Haque and Malaikar Begum. The player’s company had borrowed funds from the branch of the IFIC Bank at various times. The cheques in question were issued to replay the part of the loans but were dishonored due to insufficient funds, according to the statement of the case.
In 2023, the Jessore-born joined politics by enlisting with the Awami League and won the Magura-1 constituency in the uncontested January 07, 2024, electors under the ticket of the party. The political ambition of Shakib marked the beginning of his fall from grace before the public eye of the country.
Shakib Al Hasan was charged with a murder case during the political unrest in Bangladesh. He declined to return to the country, citing security concerns and the possibility of interrogation by law enforcement agencies. It remains unlikely that the all-rounder will return to the country soon, as his family is currently settled in the United States of America (USA).
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The 37-year-old has ended his international career with 4609 runs in the longest format at an average of 37.77 thanks to five centuries and 31 half-centuries. In the 50-over format, he has drilled 7570 runs in 234 innings at an average of 37.29 and a strike rate of 82.84 with nine centuries and 56 fifties.
Even with the ball, the spinner has picked up 246 scalps in the 71 games of the longest format at an average of just over 31. In the ODI format, Shakib Al Hasan has claimed 317 wickets in 241 innings at an average of around 30 and has enjoyed 149 wickets in 126 innings at an economy rate of below seven.
Apart from these issues, his bowling action has also come under scrutiny after his only turn-up in the county game in England for Surrey.