Former Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha on Friday issued a statement raising questions about the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) motive behind his dismissal from the post.

Hathurusingha, who was served with a show cause notice and suspended from duty last Tuesday, left the country on October 16 for Australia where her family lives. The Sri Lankan’s position did not remain vacant even for 6 p.m. as Phil Simmons, announced as Harthurusingha’s successor immediately after the dismissal, took over as manager of the Tigers the next day.

Here we present to you the full statement issued by Hathurusingha:

“To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter to respond to recent allegations by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) questioning my integrity and professionalism regarding an alleged assault on a player during the 2023 World Cup match and allegations of excessive leave taken without permission . I cannot leave this presumption unquestioned without responding to it. I think it is essential to clarify the facts as I see them surrounding these accusations and present my side of the story.

First, the alleged incident allegedly occurred in the dugout or dressing room, a location that is constantly monitored during World Cup matches. With over 40-50 cameras capturing every moment of the match, I did not have the opportunity to cross-examine the accuser or any witnesses, if at all.

Additionally, if the incident was as serious as claimed, it is surprising that the player involved did not report the incident to the team manager or any authority immediately after the alleged event. If a complaint was made, I wonder why I was not interviewed or approached to find out my side of the story at that time. This raises the question of why the narrative was orchestrated months later by an individual on YouTube?

Regarding leave requests, I would like to clarify that I have always sought and received approval from the CEO and President of Cricket Operations whenever I took personal leave. At no time did BCB tell me that they were unhappy with my leave situation, but conversely, every time I requested leave it was granted by BCB. At no time did I go on leave without their authorization.
When the new Council members alleged that I had taken excessive leave, they did not take into account public holidays, such as Eid, or Fridays that might have fallen during my leave. They also didn’t give credit to the fact that I didn’t take time off during the holidays. From what I understand, according to Bangladesh labor laws, I am entitled to “compensation” for work done on Friday. In addition, as a BCB employee, I am entitled to time off on Fridays and half a day off on Thursdays.
It is also important to note that during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), it is common for foreign coaches to take time off. This is not an exception unique to me but rather a norm set for many foreign coaches before my tenure. However, leave taken during the BPL is not taken into account in addition to the leave entitlement provided for in my contract.

These allegations seem premeditated to me. On the new president’s first day in office, he made a public statement expressing his desire to remove the head coach, which he said could lead to financial repercussions for the BCB. Additionally, I was shocked to receive a “show cause notice” just four hours before another head coach was appointed, despite the notice stating that I had 48 hours to prove my innocence. This sequence of events raises serious questions about the motivations for these actions.

Given the circumstances, I was advised to leave Bangladesh for safety reasons. The combination of these allegations, the rapid appointment of a new head coach and the apparent lack of due process raises significant concerns about the motivation of the new management and the treatment of employees within the BCB.

I am committed to defending my reputation and will fully cooperate with any investigation into these matters. In the end, the truth will prevail and I will be able to continue to contribute positively to the sport I love.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Chandika Hathurusinghe”