Shakib Al Hasan charged for alleged murder

Veteran Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has been charged for alleged murder of a garment factory worker in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, local media reported on Friday. 

The ousted lawmaker, currently on Pakistan tour with The Tigers, is charged with murder along with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The victim's father filed a first information report against them at the Dhaka police station on Thursday.

The 37-year-old was a member of the now dissolved Bangladesh parliament led by Hasina, who was forced to flee the country at the start of August following mass protests.

The interim government last week gave permission for Shakib, who has not commented on the political crisis, to feature in the two Tests against Pakistan, the first of which started Wednesday.

"He has played this game for so long, so he knows his role and how to prepare himself. I am not thinking about his political career," Bangladesh skipper and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said at a press conference in Rawalpindi on August 20.

Asked if the political setback would affect the all-rounder’s performance, Shanto said: "I don’t think so because he is a professional cricketer, we all treat him as a cricketer, to be honest."

"I hope he will do something special in this series," he added.

Shakib is Bangladesh’s key allrounder with 4,505 runs in 67 Tests and as a spinner got 237 wickets — the most of any Bangladesh bowler in Test cricket.

Bangladeshis in Dhaka protested over Shakib’s continued inclusion in the team, with former Bangladesh Cricket Board member Rafiqul Islam criticising him for staying silent as protesters died in clashes with security forces.

He joined the squad in Pakistan last week, after featuring in the Global T20 League in Canada, where Bangladeshis also chanted slogans against him.

The unrest in Dhaka stopped the team from assembling for practice sessions.

The tourists got some reprieve after the Pakistan Cricket Board invited them to arrive four days early to make up for their lack of preparations.

The second Test will be played in the same stadium in Rawalpindi from August 30.