Bangladesh’s sports advisor, Asif Mahmud, has declared that Shakib Al Hasan will never again represent the national team, effectively ending the all-rounder’s international career.
The statement, made publicly and later confirmed in an interview with Dhaka-based Channel 24, leaves little doubt over Shakib’s future with Bangladesh. Mahmud said he would formally direct the BCB not to select Shakib, citing the player’s “intricate” involvement with the Awami League political party.
Shakib, who served briefly as a Member of Parliament for the Awami League from January to August 2024 before being ousted in a student-led revolution, has not featured for Bangladesh in the last 12 months. While absent from national duty, he has remained active in franchise leagues abroad and is currently based in the USA.
The dispute resurfaced after Shakib posted a birthday message on social media for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Shortly afterwards, Mahmud wrote on Facebook:
“All of you have abused me a lot for not rehabilitating one person. But I was right. End of the discussion.”
Shakib responded in kind, stating that the message confirmed what he had long suspected.
“So someone has finally accepted that it’s because of him that I can never put on the Bangladesh jersey again. Maybe I will return to my motherland one day. Love you, Bangladesh.”
Mahmud went further in his interview, stressing that allowing Shakib to return would not be possible.
“We cannot let him carry the Bangladesh flag. It won’t be possible for me to allow him to wear the Bangladesh jersey. Maybe I haven’t told the BCB before, but now my clear direction would be that Shakib Al Hasan can never again play for Bangladesh.”
He also alleged that Shakib’s political ties extended deeper than the player had admitted, claiming Shakib had sought to distance himself from politics by stating that his 2024 election nomination was forced upon him. Shakib, however, has maintained that his post for Hasina was personal and rooted in her long-standing connection with cricket rather than politics.
“She has always followed cricket seriously. I wished her from that perspective. There was no other motive,”
he said.
The rift has now escalated into an official stance that effectively bars Bangladesh’s most accomplished cricketer from donning national colours again. Shakib last represented the side in 2024 during a series against Pakistan and India, but this is the first time a government official has publicly confirmed the end of his international career.
At 38, Shakib remains one of the most successful all-rounders in world cricket, with more than 13,000 international runs and over 650 wickets across formats. His absence will leave a significant void, but the political fallout has seemingly made his return impossible.
