Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has recently been accused of the murder of a garment worker in Bangladesh, but his long-time teammates Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque believe the case is baseless.
Shakib, who participated in the last general election and won a seat in parliament under Bangladesh’s ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, now faces legal challenges following Hasina's departure from the country on August 5th after a widespread student-led uprising.
Since Hasina's fall, numerous legal cases, including several murder charges, have been filed against her and her allies, including Shakib.
Both Mushfiqur and Mominul have voiced their support for Shakib, dismissing the case against him as unfounded.
“Congratulations to Shakib on becoming the leading wicket-taker as a left-arm spinner. I have said it many times before, and I will say it again—I am proud to play alongside a champion like Shakib,” Mushfiqur posted on social media.
“As a teammate and a brother, I will stand by him during these tough times, and I do not support the false allegations made against him because I know he would never engage in inhumane actions. We are always with you, my friend,” he added.
Mominul also expressed his disbelief at the charges, stating, “Shakib bhai was playing in Canada when the garment worker murder case was filed. He wasn't even in the country for a long time. Such a case against Shakib bhai is unexpected. These incidents can tarnish the image of cricket in our country.”
The Bangladesh team is currently busy in a Test series against Pakistan in Pakistan, where they secured their maiden Test win against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.