Bangladesh women’s team captain Nigar Sultana Joty has responded to former teammate Jahanara Alam’s allegations, expressing her disappointment and labeling them as personal and unfounded. Joty expressed her dismay over what she perceived as negative comments driven by personal animosity.
In an interview with Kaler Kantho, Jahanara claimed that Joty mistreated junior players and even physically harmed them. She also accused senior players Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni of colluding with Joty to remove her from the national team. Allegedly, some junior players felt compelled to comply with Joty’s demands or face repercussions, and Joty purportedly began abusing her authority after becoming captain.
In response, Joty refuted these accusations, stating that Jahanara had misrepresented the team environment following her exclusion from the squad. Joty suggested that Jahanara was seeking fleeting attention by spreading false information during a successful period for Bangladesh women’s cricket.
Joty lamented the negative statements, personal grudges, anger, and harsh language circulating while the team was performing well. She emphasized that the team belonged to everyone and expressed surprise at the disparaging comments from individuals who had previously supported and contributed to the team.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has strongly rejected Jahanara Alam’s claims, denouncing them as intentional and harmful. The board released an official statement dismissing Alam’s allegations as damaging to the team’s morale and unity.
Under Nigar Sultana Joty’s leadership, Bangladesh secured a seventh-place finish out of eight teams in the recent Women’s World Cup, securing their sole victory against Pakistan in the tournament opener in Colombo.