Sexual Harassment Inquiry Report Will Never Be Published, BCB Lawyer Says; Manjurul's Lifetime Ban Stands

The report of the inquiry committee formed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) into sexual harassment allegations will never be published, the board's lawyer Barrister Mahin M Rahman has said.

He said the inquiry report and related documents on sexual harassment are considered confidential documents. The BCB's sexual harassment prevention policy does not permit the publication of such information.

He made the remarks while answering journalists' questions at a press conference in front of the Supreme Court Annex building on Wednesday, 4 November.

Barrister Mahin M Rahman said questions had been raised in the media about why the report had not been published even 10 months after it was prepared. He said the BCB had implemented a sexual harassment prevention policy in line with High Court directives, and that policy instructs that inquiry materials and reports not be published in the media or made public.

He said a great deal of personal and intimate information emerges during such inquiries, involving victims and many witnesses. Because of that sensitive information, those concerned have a right to protection of their honour and personal privacy.

The BCB lawyer said the inquiry report was prepared in February 2026. Until then the BCB had not adopted a sexual harassment prevention policy. The inquiry committee had also recommended in its report that such a policy be included.

Later, in August 2026, the BCB formally adopted and published the policy. A personal complaints and redress committee was also formed alongside it.

He said a system has been kept on the BCB website for this purpose. A female staff member has been assigned there, to whom women cricketers and BCB female staff can lodge complaints 24 hours a day.

On Jahanara Alam's complaint, Mahin M Rahman said the former captain of the national women's cricket team, Jahanara Alam, had accused team manager Manjurul Alam of sexual harassment. After the allegation appeared in the media, the BCB immediately formed an inquiry committee.

The committee, led by a former judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, reviewed the statements of both sides and related matters and prepared a full report. The report was later submitted to the BCB president.

He said the review found two allegations of sexual harassment against Manjurul Alam to be true. Jahanara had also made allegations against several others, but the inquiry committee did not find those allegations to be true.

The BCB board of directors then decided to ban Manjurul Alam for life. As a result, he can no longer take part in any BCB-related activity.

On Manjurul Alam's writ petitions, the BCB lawyer said Manjurul had filed two separate writ petitions challenging the lifetime ban. Lawyers for the BCB took part in both cases and opposed the petitions. Two separate High Court Division benches dismissed both writ petitions. During the hearings, the inquiry report was presented to the court by the BCB, and the court reviewed the report.

Mahin M Rahman said the court would also be informed in another future case. He said a female athlete has filed a writ petition seeking implementation of necessary measures to prevent sexual harassment. The BCB has also been made a party in that case and a rule is pending. In that case too, the court will be informed of the steps taken by the BCB, including the inquiry report.