Bangladesh players rally behind accused teammate Shakib Al Hasan / Photo: Farooq NAEEM - AFP
-
Martinez brace saves Inter in Serie A top-two clash with Roma
-
'It has to stop': runners protest women's murders in S.Africa district
-
Rosenior abused but guides Paris FC past old club Strasbourg
-
Fire erupts near Riyadh airport as Houthis claim strikes
-
Seven-try Lyon beat Pau, climb to Top 14 summit
-
Cuba works to restore power after another blackout
-
Brighton defeat a 'big lesson' against complacency for Arsenal, says Arteta
-
England thrash Sri Lanka again to return to top of T20 rankings
-
Thousands protest inaction over climate crisis in Switzerland
-
Arsenal thrashed by Brighton, sorry Spurs lose again
-
Carapaz out of cycling world championships
-
South Korea, Austria qualify for Davis Cup finals
-
'Fragile' Tottenham beaten by Aston Villa despite late rally
-
Seare shocks Ingebrigtsen to win world 5km gold
-
Mourinho hails Real Madrid grit before Atletico derby clash
-
Brigitte Bardot widower slams sale of star's belongings
-
Martin wins Austrian MotoGP sprint after Acosta crash
-
Aston Villa compound Tottenham's misery despite late rally
-
Japan edge Fiji to win Pacific Nations Cup
-
Asian Games offer 'deepest apologies' for South Korea anthem blunder
-
Black smoke, flames rising near Riyadh airport: residents to AFP
-
Inter Milan and Italy icon Mazzola dies aged 83
-
UK actor Naomi Watts honoured at Spain film festival
-
Saudi capital issues first air raid alert since renewed fighting in Yemen
-
Japan emperor declares Asian Games open after turbulent build-up
-
Martin edges title rival Marquez for Austrian MotoGP pole
-
Asian Games open with unity message after troubled build-up
-
Indonesia accepts Malaysia's help to tackle wildfires
-
Denmark hails 'binding' Greenland deal with Trump
-
Indians living in Japan on stand-by to house Asian Games athletes
-
We don't want Games host Japan losing money, says Asian Olympic official
-
Trump signs bill authorizing sweeping Russia sanctions
-
Ed Sheeran returns to stage after Palestinian controversy
-
Protesters form human chain at Kennedy Center after Trump threat
-
Asian Games to open in Japan after troubled build-up
-
Death toll from attack at police HQ in Pakistan rises to 31
-
Drone owners rush to offload devices ahead of Beijing ban
-
Trump says Denmark to give US 'permanent control' over Greenland security
-
Trump's beef policies irk Texas ranchers, testing their loyalty
-
Kennedy Center: future unclear for iconic Washington arts hub
-
Nvidia, OpenAI CEOs to attend Xi dinner at White House
-
Trump claims 'infinite' Greenland security deal with Denmark
-
Anthropic picks Accenture for in-house AI safety evaluation
-
Helicopters battle wildfire threatening Ecuador's capital
-
Balogun returns as Monaco beat Lens to continue strong Ligue 1 start
-
Brentford batter Chelsea to undo Alonso's promising start
-
'Pause' on overt repression in Venezuela, but reforms still needed: HRW
-
Kane hits Bundesliga century as Bayern rout Union
-
Global stocks mixed as yen falls despite Bank of Japan rate hike
-
Trump says CNN, MS NOW, Politico banned from White House
Bangladesh players rally behind accused teammate Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh players have rallied round teammate Shakib Al Hasan, the ousted lawmaker who faces a case of alleged murder connected to unrest that toppled the government earlier this month.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team's maiden Test win against Pakistan on Sunday, in which all-rounder Shakib took three second-innings wickets, was a tribute to the hundreds killed during protests that forced former premier Sheikh Hasina from power.
Bangladesh endured weeks of student-led protests that resulted in Hasina fleeing to India by helicopter on August 5, ending 15 years of autocratic rule.
Shakib, 37, who lost his job as a lawmaker for Hasina's Awami League party when parliament was dissolved, is "a big asset of our country," said Shanto in a post on Facebook late Monday.
"He's been raising the name of Bangladesh in the world for 17 long years," Shanto said.
Rafiqul Islam, the father of one of the hundreds killed during the civil unrest, filed a murder case against Shakib and 155 others in Dhaka on Thursday.
Hasina's government was accused of widespread abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of political opponents.
Hasina, former ministers and other ex-lawmakers are among those also accused.
Shakib has not spoken publicly about the case, but his teammates said they were offering him support.
"Such a case against Shakib bhai (brother) is unexpected," Shanto added.
"In the new Bangladesh, we all want to see something new. I hope all the darkness will pass off and new light will come."
Veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim said on Facebook: "I have said it many times before, and I will say it again, I am proud to play alongside a champion like Shakib.
"As a teammate and a brother, I will be there during his tough times, and I do not support the false allegations made against him because I know he would never engage in inhumane actions."
Bangladesh achieved their first victory over Pakistan in 14 Tests with a thumping 10-wicket win on Sunday after both teams struggled in hot conditions on a flat Rawalpindi pitch.
The second and final Test will also be played in Rawalpindi from Friday.
A.P.Maia--PC
