Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Noakhali Express’ assistant coach Niaz Khan has landed in hot water. He has come under the radar of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) integrity unit, which
has launched a probe over his identity. The development follows a report published by a local English daily on December 31, raising questions over his credentials.
According to Cricbuzz, Niaz is under an ongoing investigation, confirmed by the BCB chief Aminul Islam, who hasn’t given much information to the website.
“They (BCB Integrity Unit) are well aware of the development (regarding the news of Noakhali Express assistant coach) and working on it,” Aminul said. Emphasising the sensitivity of the case, he added, “It’s confidential, so I cannot disclose much, but they (BCB Integrity Unit) are well aware of this (regarding the movement of Niaz).”
According to the Bangladesh media, Niaz had claimed to have worked with the Afghanistan national cricket team during the Asia Cup. However, officials from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) reportedly denied the claim when approached for verification, triggering concerns and prompting further scrutiny from the BCB.
The Cricbuzz report further quoted Mahin M Rahman, counsel to the BCB’s Integrity Unit and head of its legal team, as saying that the matter is being investigated currently.
“I got confirmation from my head (Alex Marshall) that this (movement of Niaz) is already under a live investigation,” Mahin said.
“Yes, I know that (Niaz was with Dhaka Capitals) and there are some more connections here as well,” he added.
The BCB’s official stance on integrity was reiterated hours later by Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Governing Council member secretary Iftekhar Rahman, who addressed reporters at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
“We take every issue very seriously,” he said. “That is why we have put pressure on teams on two clear points: player payments must be made and integrity must be maintained.”
Iftekhar underlined the board’s zero-tolerance policy, noting its impact on franchise operations.
“Because of that zero tolerance, you are seeing things like teams withdrawing even after being awarded a franchise. That has been painful for us. We have an independent committee headed by Alex Marshall, and instructions have gone from us to many teams that certain people cannot stay with the team,” he added.
