Arrest Warrant Issued for Bangladeshi Cricket Star Shakib Al Hasan Over Bounced Cheques

TDT | Manama

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A Bangladeshi court issued an arrest warrant on Sunday for cricketing legend Shakib Al Hasan, accusing him of issuing bounced cheques totaling over $300,000. The case, filed by IFIC Bank, marks another setback for the former lawmaker.

“The court has previously summoned Shakib, but he did not appear,” said Mohammed Shahibur Rahman from the bank. “Now, the court has issued the warrant.”

Shakib, who was associated with the ousted government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been a divisive figure since the regime's collapse in August 2024. Hasina fled to India via helicopter amid a revolution, and Shakib became one of many targeted for alleged links to the regime. He is also under public scrutiny for a deadly crackdown on protesters during the uprising, though no charges have been filed against him in that regard.

At the time of Hasina’s downfall, Shakib was participating in a domestic Twenty20 competition in Canada and has since not returned to Bangladesh.

Despite his illustrious cricketing career, which includes 71 Tests, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20s with 712 wickets, Shakib’s professional life has also taken a hit. He was excluded from Bangladesh’s 15-man squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai. The team, captained by Najmul Hossain Shanto, is placed in Group A alongside cricketing heavyweights India, Pakistan, and New Zealand.

This legal case and Shakib’s absence from key tournaments underline the ongoing challenges faced by the star athlete, who remains one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated cricketers.