Bangladesh’s most famous — and perhaps most controversial — sports star, Shakib Al Hasan, has finally broken his silence about his prolonged absence from the public eye. The ace all-rounder and former national captain opened up to Daily Sun’s Zaigum Azam, speaking candidly about his future prospects and addressing numerous questions regarding his political affiliations and business ventures. Here are the excerpts:

Daily Sun: How have you been spending your time lately?

Shakib Al Hasan: Alhamdulillah, I’m doing well. I’ve been spending a lot of quality time with my family and children.

Daily Sun: If your name were changed to “Controversy Al Hasan,” how would you react?

Shakib: (Laughs) It might fit, considering the circumstances. But honestly, I think “Shakib Al Hasan” is just fine.

Daily Sun: Your image took a major hit during the student protests, especially after that viral post of you at a safari park. What actually happened?

Shakib: To be honest, I was away from the country for quite some time, first in the USA playing in the MLC, then in Canada. The picture was taken in Canada. I didn’t post it myself. Still, I take responsibility. It was a pre-planned family outing. In hindsight, yes, as a public figure I should’ve been more aware. I accept that. But my focus has always been cricket—before and after I became an MP. I was never asked to get involved in politics. I was always told, “Just play cricket.” So that’s what I focused on.

To be honest, I was away from the country for quite some time, first in the USA playing in the MLC, then in Canada. The picture was taken in Canada. I didn’t post it myself. Still, I take responsibility.

Daily Sun: Did you expect that level of backlash?

Shakib: Honestly, no. I didn’t think it would blow up like that. Once the backlash started, I realized how serious the situation was. I spoke with people who told me they were hurt by the timing of the photo. In hindsight, it was a mistake. Even if others posted similar things, mine got more attention—maybe because of who I am. I should’ve been more careful.

Daily Sun: There was also an altercation with a fan during the Canada Global T20 League. What actually happened there?

Shakib: I think the person came with the intention to provoke me—or maybe he was just frustrated. He kept asking why I wasn’t doing anything, and after a point I asked him, “Bhai, what have you done?” And it escalated from there. Look, people will judge whether I’ve done anything or not. But if someone questions me repeatedly, do I not have the right to respond? I even asked him—and others there—to tell me what I could do. I wasn’t ignoring the issue. I just didn’t know what would be appropriate or effective. The government and others wanted me to post something. But what would that achieve? Would it help? Would it add fuel to the fire? I’ve always believed in acting responsibly. If I can't bring change directly, what’s the point in empty statements?

Daily Sun: Do you feel the media often portrays you unfairly? It seems like negativity around you tends to “sell.”

Shakib: That’s true to some extent. But I also acknowledge my own shortcomings. If I had handled media relations better, maybe things would be different. I just never tried to manage my image. It’s not something I’m naturally good at. Even now, I feel like I’m saying the right things, but I know parts of this interview might be taken out of context.

Daily Sun: So you admit that you are projected negatively to a large extent?

Shakib: Yes that has been the case from the beginning and you can say when it was done with others there were protests as well as people involved were asked why they had done that but I never questioned anyone and so naturally it was easy for them(to lament me negatively). What I felt is that whatever good they feel they did but if I have my intention right and don’t want to harm anyone in that case I don’t have any reason to worry.

 Daily Sun: Do you feel that joining politics was a wrong decision?

Shakib: Look, the thing is, if it was a mistake for me to join politics, then anyone who joins politics in the future would also be making a mistake. Whether it's a doctor, a barrister, a businessman—anyone joining politics could be making a mistake. But joining politics is a right for any citizen, and anyone can do it. Whether people vote for you or not is up to them. I think I was right when I joined, and I still believe I was right, because my intention was to work for the people of Magura. I felt I could do something for them, and I also felt that the people of Magura wanted me. I believe I had a fair election in my constituency, and I don’t think anyone would doubt that if I ran again, no one else would win. So, naturally, I don’t see anything wrong in what I did. When I ran for election, I wanted an opportunity to serve the people of Magura, and the people gave me that chance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t serve them as I wanted, and that’s something I accept.

From my perspective, as far as entering politics is concerned, I always felt that if I wanted to make significant changes, I needed to be inside the system because how can you change the system unless you're part of it? The people who are running the country now—could they have brought about the changes they wanted if they were outside the system? So, you tell me, isn't it clear?

Look, people can argue all they want that my entering politics wasn’t the right decision, but most of the people saying that are not voters from my area. The voters from Magura, however, think differently, and that's what matters. I made a wish, and I ran for election. If people want to vote for me, they can; if they think otherwise, they don’t have to vote for me. It’s as simple as that.

I don't think a lot of change should be expected in my area based on opinions from people outside my constituency, who claim that entering politics was the wrong decision. I still believe that if I run for election today, the people of Magura will vote for me because they believe I can do something for them.

This is my belief, and I entered politics for that reason. The thing I keep saying is that unless you enter the system, how can you bring about change? My intentions were honest, and I don’t see why there should be any tension when the intentions are pure. It’s not like I entered politics to gain something or for personal reasons. I went in to give something, and if that was wrong, then I accept that it was wrong.

Daily Sun: You were a politician for six months, correct?

Shakib: Yes, it’s true that I was involved in politics for about six months. After the election, I think I went to Magura for maybe three days. I played cricket for four to five months, and I was out of the country for about the same amount of time, so where would I have found the time to properly engage in politics or understand the situation on the ground?

The then Prime Minister told me, You don’t have to do politics; just focus on playing cricket,” and I followed that advice. I didn’t have any other agenda. I always felt that as long as I was playing cricket, that should be my priority. I could have easily quit cricket and become a full-time politician, but that was never the case. My plan was to play in the Champions Trophy, and after that, I would gradually transition into politics once I understood it better and could work for the people.It wasn’t about jumping into politics headfirst—it was about getting started within the system. That was my only reason for entering, and people can think what they want. If I made a mistake, then the people coming into power now will not be there forever. That’s just the law of nature—whether it's 10 years or 20 years, they will also not be in the same place forever. If another party comes to power, they too will not be there forever, and so on. The cycle continues, and you can’t predict when it will end.

The important thing is that we need to change our thinking. If you think about it deeply, people have two fundamental rights: the right to vote and the right to join any political party they choose. If you feel the system is wrong, how can you change it? How can you do it on your own? For how long? Eventually, you’ll need help, and that help must come from all quarters. When everyone comes together, that’s when real change can happen.

The reason I entered politics was simple and clear: I wanted to work for the people of Magura.

If you look at the system in Bangladesh, everything happens through the power of the pen, and you can’t go outside the boundaries of the law. There are certainly exceptions, but they are just that—exceptions. The reason I entered politics was simple and clear: I wanted to work for the people of Magura.

 Daily Sun: But don’t you regret that you are paying the price for it now, with so many cases filed against you recently? Do you feel it was pre-motivated?

Shakib: I spoke to my lawyer, and he told me that the case is not moving at the usual pace; it's running much faster than normal. Look, I haven’t given much time to things other than cricket, and naturally, I couldn't focus on business and profit. There are two businesses I'm involved in: one is my crab farm, and the other is the share market business.

The crab farm was doing well up until 2019, before the Covid outbreak. We didn't have any dues in terms of installments. However, the project got stagnant due to Covid, and some products got damaged, which led to huge losses. We could have worked things out, but there were internal problems, and some partners took money and left. Now, here’s the thing: I own 35% of the farm, and the other 65% belongs to others. But for some reason, the only name people know is Shakib Al Hasan. The others involved in the business haven’t been mentioned at all. They haven’t done anything wrong regarding the farm, and I’ve only been there once for a couple of hours. I didn’t go there often or keep track of things, but when I heard about the problem, I personally paid them from my own pocket because I didn’t want the project to close.

The person in charge should have spoken with the partners and understood the real problem. But somehow, all the fault is attributed to me because my name is associated with the company. I should have enquired more, but I couldn't because my focus was on cricket. If I had gone and stayed there for a few days each month instead of focusing on cricket or training, perhaps the business would have been okay. Even now, I want to reschedule the loan and restart the business because it has a good market potential, and we could earn foreign revenue. The government also offers good incentives for it. So, I’m trying to reschedule the loan, and if they allow me, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t. I’ve taken the money, and I want to pay it back. But if they don’t give me the opportunity, it becomes difficult. People are defaulting on loans worth billions of taka, and this is just a loan of Tk4.5 crore. If you consider my 35% share, I’d only need to pay around Tk1.20 crore. But the way my property has been seized—I don’t think that’s normal. If someone else also did wrong in this situation, then I’m a victim too.

Daily Sun: What about the share market business?

Shakib: If anyone can show me that I’ve done one single trade on my own in the share market, I’d be willing to give them everything I have. I don’t know how to trade in the Bangladesh stock market, and I don’t have any trading app on my phone. Yes, I did give money to someone to invest on my behalf, but the entire investment turned into a loss. If anyone can show that I received a single taka in return from the share market, I’d gladly give them everything I have.

I didn’t make any profit from it, and I wasn’t involved in the process. I didn’t attend any meetings, nor did I go there. So, how could I be considered a culprit in this situation? Just because I invested doesn’t make me responsible for the losses. I lost money in that business. If someone can show me how I made a profit, I’d want to see that. I want a proper investigation into it, so I can understand exactly where I incurred such losses. I’ve messaged the chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, although I haven’t received a reply. But I’m willing to talk about any problems regarding it. I’ve been trying to communicate with everyone, from people in charge of the share market to those in the banking sector and even at the government level, to show me a way forward. I’m not running away from the issue. I want to come forward and fix everything. I feel I deserve that chance, and if they give it to me, I’ll be happy about it.

I don’t think I’ve committed any crime like it’s being projected. At that time, things were different, but now, when everything has calmed down, people can see that a man shouldn’t face such punishment just for a picture.

Daily Sun: So, you are willing to cooperate in the investigation?

Shakib: Absolutely. Whatever information they require, I’m willing to provide it—both for the crab farm and the share market business. If they feel that I need to come in for a thorough and clear investigation, I’m more than happy to do that as well. I’m not hiding anything or running away after stealing something.

If they feel that I need to come in for a thorough and clear investigation, I’m more than happy to do that as well. I’m not hiding anything or running away after stealing something.

Daily Sun: When did you decide it was over for you?

Shakib: I realized it was over when I saw that I couldn’t play with so much pressure on me. It’s not that I don’t want to play for my country—I still want to play for Bangladesh, and that desire will always remain. I’ve tried to communicate with everyone about it, from the president of the BCB to the top government officials.

Yes, I was an MP, but now I’m not anymore, and I’m not holding any political position in any party. If something I did for 18 to 20 years is now being stopped, doesn’t that seem outrageous? I still want to end my career on a high, by retiring from playing for Bangladesh. If there’s an opportunity, I would love to plan whether I’ll play one series, two series, or even for another year. My greatest wish is to play for my country and I am ready to give my all for that purpose. That’s the dream I’ve worked for, and I’m doing everything I can to fulfill it—talking to sports advisors, chief advisors, and the BCB president.

If there’s an opportunity, I would love to plan whether I’ll play one series, two series, or even for another year. My greatest wish is to play for my country and I am ready to give my all for that purpose. That’s the dream I’ve worked for, and I’m doing everything I can to fulfill it—talking to sports advisors, chief advisors, and the BCB president.

Daily Sun: Isn’t it disappointing that the board couldn’t help you?

Shakib: I don’t have any complaints against anyone, and I don’t hold grudges. Everyone has their own limitations, and it’s all about whether you’re willing to look at things positively or complicate them. Whether you judge me based on my last 18 years or the last six months is up to you. If you look at it from one side, it might seem different, but if you look at it fairly, everything will make sense. I feel I deserve to play for Bangladesh, and most people want me to retire from playing for the country and continue for a little while longer. I believe I can still play for another year or two. It’s okay if something happened, but it can be fixed with good will. And that goodwill needs to come from the top.

Daily Sun: What kind of assurance do you want?

Shakib: I’m willing to come back if my security is assured. I was very saddened when the murder case was filed against me, and later I found out that the person who filed the case didn’t even know how my name ended up in it. I wonder just how far some people can go. I’ve got proof that I was naïve, thinking the world was straightforward and simple, but I realised how complicated and critical it can be.

Daily Sun: What lesson have you learned?

Shakib: I’m seeing new faces of people now. Perhaps I was living in an illusion before.

Daily Sun: What is your take on “new” Bangladesh?

Shakib: I’m sure they are working with honest intentions, but only time will tell how far they can reach. Beyond that, I can’t say much.

I think that’s total nonsense. If you watch the footage, you know exactly what was happening. Anyone who understands cricket would know. There’s no point in calling the players and making them recreate the scene. You can question them in an official meeting or an interrogation, but why make them recreate the scene? What are they trying to prove? I can’t understand it. After being involved with cricket for so many years, am I mad, or are they?

Daily Sun: Do you follow Bangladesh cricket?

Shakib: I’ve seen reports where players were asked to recreate a scene from the fixing issue (referring to the BDPL incident with Shinepukur and Gulshan Cricket Club), and I think that’s total nonsense. If you watch the footage, you know exactly what was happening. Anyone who understands cricket would know. There’s no point in calling the players and making them recreate the scene. You can question them in an official meeting or an interrogation, but why make them recreate the scene? What are they trying to prove? I can’t understand it. After being involved with cricket for so many years, am I mad, or are they?