Former selector and team manager of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team, Manjurul Islam, has been accused of sexual harassment by cricketer Jahanara Alam. In an interview posted on a YouTube channel, Jahanara alleged that Manjurul used to inappropriately touch women players and asked her for highly personal health information she says should normally be known only to the team physiotherapist.

Jahanara also accused several others of trying to “destroy” her career. She said she reported incidents to higher levels of the BCB and the women’s wing from 2021 through mid-2022 but did not receive meaningful redress, the former national all-rounder claimed.

Manjurul — who played 17 Tests and 34 ODIs for the Bangladesh men’s team between 1999 and 2004 and later served in various coaching and management roles under the Bangladesh Cricket Board, including as women’s team selector from 2020 to 2023 — is currently working in China as head coach of a women’s team. Speaking to Prothom Alo by phone, he strongly denied all of Jahanara’s allegations, calling them baseless and false. He said he is ready to return to Bangladesh and face any investigation committee.

On the charge that he asked players about private health matters, Manjurul said that such information was passed to him via the team physiotherapist and that he never asked any player directly. Asked whether he ever questioned Jahanara about these matters, he replied, “Absolutely not. Where and when did I say that? Where is the proof? If I’d shared with teammates, let them speak.”

Jahanara accused Manjurul of frequent physical contact under the guise of encouragement — hugging or touching players’ chests — a claim he denies. He told reporters he is willing to cooperate fully with any state or BCB inquiry: “I’m ready to come to Bangladesh at any time and sit down. I will come whenever they ask. I will follow whatever the investigation committee directs.”

Jahanara is currently in Australia, and she has said she submitted a letter to the BCB in 2022 addressed to chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury detailing the incidents. Manjurul, however, insists the board never informed him of any sexual-harassment complaint against him.

Asked why these accusations have been levelled against him, Manjurul said he does not know. He added that he was strict about discipline and rules, enforced dietary restrictions, and was tough when players broke team regulations — and suggested that his strictness may have caused friction: “If being strict about those things is wrong and punishable, I have no problem accepting punishment.”