Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan issues public apology after Islamist threats

Bangladesh cricketer  Shakib Al Hasan was forced to issue a public apology after receiving threats from  Islamic fundmentalists  for attending a Hindu ceremony in India, reported PTI.

According to Islamic preachers in Bangladesh, people should not attend the ceremonies of other faiths.

Shakib is the latest target of increasingly vocal Islamists who recently staged huge anti-France rallies over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in the European country.

Also read: Over 50,000 people participate in anti-France rally in Bangladesh, burn effigies

Shakib had attended a ceremony in Kolkata dedicated to a Hindu goddess, which elicited a backlash on social media in Bangladesh. 

He said: “I was on the stage for barely two minutes. People are talking about this and thought I inaugurated it. I did not do this and being a conscious Muslim I would not do this. But, maybe, I should not have gone there. I am sorry for this and apologise.”

Shakib added, “As a practising Muslim I always try to follow religious customs. Please forgive me if I have done anything wrong.”

Shakib’s statements came hours after a person gave threats to him on a Facebook live forum for “hurting religious sentiment”.

Police said they are looking for the man, who had later apologised and has since gone into hiding. Police are also searching for the knife that was brandished during the forum.

In 2019, Shakib was found to have breached the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption code and was banned for two years, with one year suspended. The top-ranked all-rounder recently completed a year’s ban.