A Committee of Legal Experts, Still Missing Its Fifth Member — Bangladesh Women's Cricket's Real Safeguarding Test Has Not Yet Begun

What happened in Dhaka last year became a chapter in the history of Bangladesh women's cricket that no board wants to include in its official report. After the uproar over sexual harassment allegations shook the sporting world, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the formation of a five-member independent committee. But when I looked closely at the structure of this committee, one thing became clear — four members have been named, the fifth is still undecided, and this incompleteness raises the biggest question about the credibility of the entire initiative.

Context: Why This Committee Was Necessary

According to Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB Women's Wing, this committee is independent and its purpose is to receive and review allegations related to sexual harassment. The committee is chaired by Barrister Rashna Imam, a well-known legal figure. Besides her, three other lawyers have been included in the committee. That means four members are legal professionals — people who understand the language of evidence, procedure, and fair hearing.

But the fifth member is to be a former women cricketer. And that is the chair that remains empty. The BCB says that action will be taken as soon as an allegation is received. But the question is — can a committee whose fifth member is not even finalized restore the trust that last year's events broke?

Core Analysis: Legal Expertise vs. Practical Independence

I have been tracking the administrative framework of women's cricket for the past three years. Whenever a board forms such a committee, the first question that arises is — is this committee truly independent, or only on paper? In this case, the presence of four lawyers is a positive sign because it can strengthen procedural scrutiny. But legal expertise and institutional independence are two different things. A lawyer knows the law, but if their appointment is made by the same institution against which complaints may be filed, the question remains.

There is another subtlety in the committee's composition. Four members have been announced, but the former women cricketer's name has not been finalized. This is not just a formality. The inclusion of a woman cricketer is essential because she understands the environment in which players operate — the politics of the dressing room, the uncertainty of selection, and the fear a player feels before reporting. Legal expertise cannot tell you under what pressure a 19-year-old cricketer stays silent.

Given the seriousness of last year's allegations, BCB's biggest challenge is trust. A player will only complain if she feels her identity will remain confidential, she will not be punished, and the investigation will not be delayed. But none of these points is mentioned in the committee's formation. Nor is it clear to whom this committee will report, what investigative powers it will have, and whether it can recommend punishment against the guilty.

A factual comparison is necessary here. In India, an internal complaints committee (ICC) was formed for women cricketers, which included legal experts and a former player. But that committee's reporting line was directly to the ICC, not the national board. In Bangladesh's case, it is unclear whether the committee will remain within the BCB or outside. If it is within, the degree of independence is questionable.

Contrarian Angle: The Journey from Legal Committee to Solution

Here is a bitter truth that must be acknowledged — the formation of committees is often the first step in crisis management, not a solution. What the Bangladesh Cricket Board did after last year's events is an institutional response. But there is a difference between response and accountability.

The committee has neither a public Terms of Reference nor any indication of how long it will take to complete an investigation. Nor is it clear how the complainant's identity will be protected. Without all this, this committee is a door that is locked but no one has been given the key.

There is another aspect — the delay in appointing the former woman cricketer. This delay suggests that perhaps the committee was formed in haste, or there is difficulty finding a suitable candidate. In either case, it is an implementation risk. If the committee cannot come into its full form, how realistic will the expectations associated with it be?

Takeaway: What Should Be the Next Step

I know that for women's cricket, this committee is a necessary step. But taking a step is not enough — it is also necessary to take it in the right direction. The Bangladesh Cricket Board still has a chance to make this committee not just an announcement but a functioning mechanism. For this, three things are necessary: First, a public document of the committee's scope and powers; second, a clear confidentiality and non-retaliation policy for complainants; and third, the immediate appointment of the former woman cricketer.

Change in women's cricket often comes not from headlines but from those rooms where there is no camera. This committee is also part of that room. The question is not how many lawyers are sitting there, the question is whether any player will have the courage to knock on that door. For now, that door is open — but it is dark.