National Sports Alliance demands impartial probe into women’s cricket harassment claims

The National Sports Alliance (NSA) – the sports wing of National Citizen Party (NCP) – has called for an impartial investigation into sexual harassment allegations in women’s cricket, raised in a recent investigative report by the online outlet The Whistle.

The Whistle published the report on its website on November 1 and followed it with a 54-minute video on its YouTube channel on November 3. The report is based on interviews with 67 former and current women cricketers and statements from 104 people connected to the matter.

“We have noted with deep concern that a recent special investigative report by an online news outlet has raised numerous allegations of widespread sexual harassment, abuse of power and insecurity among players in women’s cricket,” read a press release from NSA on Wednesday, signed by its Member Secretary M. Nazmul Islam.

“The National Sports Alliance expresses deep concern over these incidents and calls on the authorities concerned to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations and punishment of those responsible,” it read, while also noting how women’s team cricketer Jahanara Alam had raised similar allegations in November last year.

“But despite repeated demands, we have seen no visible steps towards a fair and effective investigation of these allegations. It is therefore essential to establish the truth through an independent and impartial investigation of the allegations in the recently published report,” it said.

The Alliance called for “a safe and workable environment not only for women cricketers but for women in all sports in the country.”

It also demanded “a swift, independent and impartial investigation to establish the truth, punishment of those found responsible, and effective, lasting measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.”