Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman and Bangladesh captain Anamul Haque has recently spoken with great sadness about the tragic loss of his close friend Akram, who passed away amid the ongoing protests in Bangladesh.
Haque described Akram as a brother and revealed the personal impact of the political and social unrest on Bangladeshi cricketers. The unrest has affected several cricketers in different ways. Bangladeshi batsman and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan actively participated in the protests and was chased by the police in Dhaka.
Anamul Haque mourns the tragic loss of a close friend amid protests in Bangladesh
On the other hand, Akbar Ali and Kamrul Islam Rabbi have also publicly supported the student protests. Before Bangladesh A’s departure to Islamabad, where they will play two four-day matches against Pakistan A, Haque spoke to reporters at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh A captain recalled the traumatic experience of losing contact with his family during the protests. It was a really difficult situation for him as he lost a dear friend in the protests in Dhaka on July 25.
Anamul Haque told ESPNCricinfo: “I think you would have heard that a friend, who was like a brother to me, died in the protests. We were very close. I get emotional when I think of him. I wish this tragedy and trauma had not happened to anyone. I was in Chattogram so I couldn’t reach out to my family in Dhaka. Everyone was affected by this tragedy in some way.”
Speaking about the sleepless nights during the protest in Dhaka, he revealed, “I was awake from 2am to 5am. I was looking after my son. I went down to see what was happening. I saw a lot of people on the streets, protecting their property. I don’t know what these people want. We don’t want to live like this. We want to live in peace. Everyone deserves their basic rights. I think we all work honestly.”
Cricket is a place of emotions and brings us together: Anamul
He also reacted to the silence of Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza regarding the protests. They are prominent cricket figures and Awami League MPs, so their silence angered many, but Anamul seemed hesitant to get involved in the controversy. He said it is up to each individual whether they choose to speak out or share their thoughts on social media.
The wicket-keeper batsman further said that cricket is an emotional sport that brings people together and he believes that the upcoming tour of Pakistan will be beneficial for the team. Anamul noted that the conditions in Pakistan are usually favourable for batting and he is hopeful that they can give the fans something to get excited about.
Anamul concluded by saying, “Cricket is a place of emotions. It brings us together. This tour will help us a lot, especially the Test tour that follows in Pakistan. There will be favourable conditions there for batting in general. This gives a chance to both sides. We are also playing Tests after a long time. I think we can give everyone something to cheer about.”
It is noteworthy that Bangladesh A will take on Pakistan A in two four-day matches and three one-day matches in Islamabad. After these matches, the Bangladesh senior team will take on Pakistan in a two-match Test series, which will begin on August 21 in Rawalpindi.