Former Bangladesh women’s cricket team pacer Jahanara Alam has brought forward serious allegations of sexual harassment against Manjurul Islam, who previously served as a national selector and team manager. The accusations were made public during an interview with sports journalist Riyasad Azim, which was published by Kaler Kantho. In the same interview, Jahanara also detailed what she described as long-standing issues within the women’s cricket setup, including pervasive discrimination, neglect, and disruptive internal politics.
Bangladesh's Jahanara Alam breaks silence on sexual harassment
Jahanara Alam provided specific details regarding the inappropriate behavior she allegedly endured during her tenure with the national team. She stated that Manjurul Islam repeatedly engaged in unwelcome physical and verbal conduct. This reportedly included instances where he would place his hand on her shoulder without permission and make a number of intrusive personal remarks that made her uncomfortable.
“He would touch my shoulder and ask how many days my period lasted. Then he told me, ‘Once it’s over, come and see me,’” Jahanara was quoted in The Riasat Azim You Tube channel on Thursday.
Jahanara Alam further detailed the inappropriate behavior by alleging that Manjurul Islam deliberately bypassed standard post-match protocols following international fixtures, including matches played during World Cups. She claimed that instead of adhering to the accepted norms of shaking hands, the former selector and manager would specifically approach her to give her a hug. Jahanara emphasized that this conduct occurred despite the presence of her teammates and other officials, suggesting a pattern of disregard for professional boundaries and established team practices.
“I was uncomfortable every time. These hugs were not appropriate, especially given the setting and our professional relationship,” she added.
I faced indecent proposal several times: Jahanara Alam
Jahanara Alam stated that she repeatedly reported the misconduct to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over an $18$-month period, yet claims that no effective action was taken. She specified that she raised her concerns directly with Nadel Hossain Siraj, who was the then-in-charge of the BCB's women’s wing. Despite her efforts to formally bring the inappropriate behavior to the attention of the authorities, the alleged harassment and discrimination were allowed to continue without intervention from the board.
"I faced several times (indecent proposal) not once. Definitely, when we are involved with the team, we cannot speak out about many things, even if we want to. When it comes to your bread and better, when you are known by a few people, you cannot say or protest many things even if you want to," she further added.
"Look, ultimately cricket is my family, and I will definitely speak. I will speak so that maybe 10 more girls will want to return safely, just as I survived and returned. Maybe 10 girls will think, 'It's not necessary, let everyone do whatever they want,' but the world is made up of good and bad, right? I want a beautiful environment for those 10 girls, and for them to play cricket safely in a safe environment, at least."
"In 2021, Touhid Bhai approached me through Babu Bhai (Coordinator Sarfraz Babu). I have said this in various places. Why they misbehaved with me, I do not know. I tried a lot to suppress this and play cricket well. But when I technically avoided it, Manju Bhai started misbehaving, humiliating and insulting me since the next day. And I was not actually used to such humiliation.
"Touhid Bhai never approached me directly; he used Babu Bhai to approach me. And when, after a year and a half, I gave my letter to the CEO, I called it an 'Observation Letter,' not a 'Complaint Letter.' I said 'Observation Letter.' I mentioned everything A to Z in the letter to the CEO on the incidents that happened. Babu Bhai told me to 'look after Touhid Sir.' So I said, 'What is there for me to look after regarding him? He is just the in-charge. What is there for me to look after regarding him? He is the highest authority, or now he is in the post after the Chairman. What is there for me to look after regarding him?' I technically avoided it this way, pretending I didn't understand the details of the proposal. I am sharing this so that if any girl deals with this later, they can deal with it this way, too. This is how Manju Bhai's bad behavior started," she further stated.
"Next, I got the second proposal from Manju Bhai during the 2022 World Cup. It seemed to me that I needed to inform the BCB about the incidents that happened to me over the past year and a half. Who should I inform? Nadel Sir, the head of my cricket family, I informed him countless times over the year and a half in many ways. He would provide a temporary solution and Manju Bhai would be fine for a day or two and later the same. I even informed the CEO Sir," she continued.
"Next, he (Manju) approached me. I went to the World Cup, in New Zealand. We were supposed to have a pre-camp, and the session was on the fifth or sixth day, I don't remember the exact time. On the fifth or sixth day, I was bowling in the nets. He came near my shoulder. And his habit is that he grabs any girl's shoulder. So he grabbed my shoulder. Monju Bhai used to hold and press us to his chest, hold us tight, and bring his mouth near our ears. He is very tall. He used to bend down near the ear and then talk. And sometimes, whenever there was a happy or sad situation, he would take our head and press it against his chest. Maybe you have seen or not seen in some World Cup matches, when we shake hands in the line, instead of shaking hands, he would grab everyone and take them to his chest. So what did we do? We would extend our hands from a little distance so we wouldn't have to go there. We used to be scared about this behind the scenes, but we also used to joke about it, 'Oh, he is coming, he will take us to his chest now.' So girls used to talk about these things".
"He came to me and took my hand, again put his hand on my shoulder, brought his mouth near my head, and said, 'How many days is your period running today?' He is directly asking this because he already has the information. Because normally, based on ICC guidelines, the doctor who gives us classes, the physiotherapist or doctor collects period dates from every team. And every international women's team uses an app for this, so that the girls remain secure, safe, and their cycles remain okay. That's why normally our physios always keep these records. He had a big headache. Being a selector, being a manager, I don't know what need he had, but he forcefully asked in a different way, which is not normal. And his second question was, when I said, 'Bhaiya, five days'. He said: 'Five days? Does anyone stay like this? Yours should have ended a day earlier.' So I looked at him directly, staring at his face, and I said, 'Sorry, Bhaiya, I didn't understand,'" she concluded.
The veteran right-arm medium pacer, whose last appearance for the national side was in 2023, detailed the pivotal role she played in the Bangladesh team's development. Jahanara represented her country in 135 international matches across all three formats—ODIs, T20Is, and Tests—and was key to the team’s formative years on the global stage. Her accusations thus come from a senior player with significant experience and standing within Bangladesh cricket.