Murder case filed against Shakib Al Hasan

A murder case has been filed against Bangladeshi cricketer and former lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

According to reports from Bangladeshi media, Shakib, who is currently on tour in Pakistan with the national cricket team, has been accused of involvement in the murder of a garment factory worker.

The victim's father lodged the complaint against Shakib and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a Dhaka police station on Thursday.

Shakib previously served as a member of the Bangladesh parliament, which was dissolved recently amid political turmoil. Hasina, who was leading the government, fled the country at the beginning of August following widespread protests.

Despite the ongoing political crisis, the interim government granted Shakib permission to participate in the two-match Test series against Pakistan.

During a press conference in Rawalpindi on August 20, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto downplayed concerns about Shakib's political situation affecting his performance.

Shanto stated, "He has played this game for so long, so he knows his role and how to prepare himself. I am not thinking about his political career."

When asked whether the political turmoil would impact the all-rounder's performance, Shanto responded, "I don’t think so because he is a professional cricketer. We all treat him as a cricketer, to be honest."

Shakib, who is a key figure in Bangladesh cricket, has amassed 4,505 runs in 67 Tests and claimed 237 wickets, making him the most successful Bangladeshi bowler in Test cricket. However, his continued participation in the team has sparked protests in Dhaka, with some criticizing him for remaining silent as protesters clashed with security forces.

Shakib joined the squad in Pakistan last week after participating in the Global T20 League in Canada, where he also faced criticism from Bangladeshi expatriates.