Bangladesh Head Coach reveals Death Threat in the Country

Former Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, on Sunday (April 20), said that he was scared for his life while fleeing Bangladesh. The country was rocked by waves of violent protests last year, eventually leading to the toppling of its long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

The protests began as a student movement but eventually became political, leading to violent clashes between the protestors and the police force. In the end, Hasina had to vacate her official residence and flee the country before an interim government took charge.

Bangladesh has been through a political turmoil

With the entire country in turmoil and the police force unable to control the violence, Chandika Hathurusingha panicked due to the lack of security and decided to leave the country. He left the country after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) suspended him for breaching their code of conduct. The board later decided to sack him as well.

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In a recent interview with Code Sports, the former Bangladesh head coach finally opened up on the entire episode and revealed how he feared for his life. He revealed how a conversation with the BCB CEO set the alarm bells ringing for him.

"The Bangladesh CEO's last words to me was that his advice was I should go. You don't need to tell any of the board people, do you have a ticket to go?' This was a warning sign for me. That's when I got a little bit alarmed," Chandika Hathurusingha said.

"Normally, I get a driver and a gunman when travelling around in that country. He said, 'Did you get your gunman and your driver today?' I said, no, 'I only had the driver.

"I went straight to the bank, trying to get the money to leave the country. While I was in the bank, there was a breaking news story on the TV: 'Chandika sacked. Assaulted a player," he added. "When that came up, the bank manager said, 'Coach, I have to come with you. It is not safe for you if people see you on the roads.'

"Now I'm panicking because I need to get out of the country. A friend drove me to the airport for a midnight flight on Singapore Airlines, and I'm arriving in a cap and a hoodie, and there's no protection.

"They could have arrested me at the airport for trying to flee the country. There was a case where an interior minister from the previous Government was trying to flee the country and the plane was stopped on the runway and they kicked him off. All this is going through my mind. Then at the x-ray machine at the entrance, one of the air force officers said to me; 'I'm sorry coach, I'm very sorry that you're going' (gets emotional).I was fearing for my life and he's saying I had done something for their country," recalled Chandika Hathurusingha.

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Chandika Hathurusingha denies allegations:

Chandika Hathurusingha also opened up on the rumours about slapping Bangladesh bowler Nasum Ahmed in the dugout during the 2023 World Cup match against New Zealand in Chennai. Recalling the incident, the former Sri Lankan cricketer also opened up on the impact the entire incident has had on his career.

"It's everything because this is my career. Now they've ruined my career by bringing allegations rather than giving me an opportunity to defend myself," Hathurusingha said.

"I have never had a fight with a player. I don't show emotion to my players. Maybe I've kicked a dustbin out of sight from frustration - that's happened to any coach. But that's very different to what this is. It's weighing on me. I don't know how many opportunities I've missed from October to now, there has been so many. This is just them trying to end my contract. It was pre-meditated by the new President."

Two of Hathurusingha's assistance coaches - Nic Pothas and Rangana Herath - also denied the allegations. Pothas said that tapping the players on the back especially because of the language barrier is very common in the game. Herath, on the other hand, said that nothing happened.

"That's just me knowing the person. He's a highly, highly experienced international and professional coach. He wouldn't have lasted at that level if he had that in him," Pothas said.

"I think there's probably a grudge to bear from whoever alleged that. And the person who alleged it probably didn't think it was going to blow up like this, and now that it has, I don't think he's realised what chaos he's caused and how difficult he's made Hathu's life post Bangladesh.

Was just patting Nasum, claims the ex-Bangladesh Head Coach

"(Tapping players on the back) happens all the time. Because of the language barriers, you do have to communicate a lot through hand signals."

On the other hand, Herath said: "I can straight away say that nothing happened," Herath said from his home in Melbourne. "Being a World Cup there were many cameras on him. People can say an incident happened, but there has to be evidence. I strongly say nothing happened like that because I was there. Slapping and tapping are completely different."

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