Once the poster boy for Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Shakib Al Hasan is now facing serious allegations of financial crimes and misconduct. The same cricketer who once launched the ACC’s anti-corruption hotline and advocated for clean governance is now under investigation for multiple offences, including corruption.
On Sunday, ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen confirmed that a preliminary probe is underway against Shakib. While he hasn’t been officially charged yet, Momen admitted that Shakib may soon become the subject of a formal case. The developments mark a stunning fall from grace for the former Bangladesh captain.
The controversy began in August 2023, when Supreme Court lawyer Milhanur Rahman Naomi requested an inquiry into Shakib’s business activities. The accusations include stock market manipulation, links to illegal gambling and casinos, gold smuggling, siphoning funds from crab traders, corruption within cricket, and concealing assets in his election affidavit.
In November 2023, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) froze Shakib’s bank accounts. The situation worsened after the Awami League government’s fall in August 2024. Shakib, who briefly served as a Member of Parliament, was named a suspect in the murder of a garment worker, Rubel, in Adabor. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others were also named in the same case.
Following the murder case, Shakib was dropped from the national squad. A legal notice was sent to the BCB, urging them to recall him to face legal proceedings.
In 2018, Shakib was appointed brand ambassador of the ACC, but by 2022, the ACC had quietly ended their association. Now, with multiple allegations looming, his once-glorious legacy is on the brink of collapse.
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