DHAKA, Jan 11, 2024 (BSS)- Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Najmul Hassan Papon said he would try to end his tenure as the board chief by this year as his working area are expanded after being sworn in as the Minister of Youth and Sports today.

  This is not the first time, the veteran cricket organizer expressed his desire to step down from the board. A couple of months ago, he hinted that the current term, which would expire in the next year, could be his last as BCB president.

  As per ICC rules, president of any board in any country has to be elected. 

  "As I said earlier, I would not involve in BCB after this term, I stick to it as of now. Rather I will try my best to end this by this year," Papon said here today.

  After being appointed as the minister, his relation with BCB came under scanner. There was discussion that he couldn't continue as BCB president if he is appointed as minister even though the BCB and ICC constitution had no bar in this regard.

  Papon, however, cleared the air by saying that, "The first thing is that it has nothing to do with the resignation from BCB. Earlier, we had many ministers who served as the president of BCB, also there are many examples in abroad. That is not the issue."

  "I have already said this will be my last term. The new term will come in next year. I will try to finish the term this year. The ICC also has some rules. I have been in several ICC committees and in some committees, I am also the chairman. They (ICC) normally don't change it. They don't give it to someone new. You have already seen what kind of situation Sri Lanka faced for doing something like this. I have to finish their (ICC) term also."