Bangladesh fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib has found himself amidst controversy due to misogynistic posts on social media, sparking outrage among women’s rights activists and feminists. This comes just days after his impressive international debut in cricket.
Sakib gained recognition after dismissing India captain Rohit Sharma with his fourth ball in the Asia Cup match, leading Bangladesh to victory in the final over. However, the admiration quickly turned to criticism as his derogatory social media posts came to light.
One of the posts from last year stated, “If the wife works, the husband’s rights are not ensured. If the wife works, the child’s rights are not ensured. If the wife works, her elegance is damaged. If the wife works, the family is ruined. If the wife works, the veil is ruined. If the wife works, society is ruined.”
Bangladesh heavily relies on the workforce of garment factories, where a majority of employees are women, contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth. However, conservative patriarchal attitudes continue to prevail.
In another post, Sakib warned men that their sons would not have a “modest” mother if they marry a woman who is socially active with her male friends at university.
The comments faced strong backlash, with feminist writer Jannatun Nayeem Prity highlighting that the Bangladesh cricket team’s jerseys are made in factories where women constitute the majority of the workforce. She added, “I feel sorry for you that you don’t consider your mother a normal human being.”
The remarks were described as deeply offensive by writer Swakrito Noman, who demanded an apology from Sakib and urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to take appropriate action. Journalist Mejbaul Haque also criticized the distorted form of misogyny, emphasizing that it is unacceptable regardless of the player’s stature.
The BCB has stated that it is investigating the matter. “The issue came to our attention. We are looking into the matter,” said Jalal Yunus, the cricket operations chief of BCB.
Sakib, who played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s victory at the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, has participated in 12 first-class matches during his short senior career.