The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made every effort to include Shakib Al Hasan in the Dhaka Test against South Africa. However, a last-minute government directive ultimately prevented Shakib from traveling back to the country, prioritizing his safety. Following a wave of speculation surrounding Shakib's inability to return, BCB president Faruque Ahmed has now opened up about the issue. He also discussed Shakib's availability for the upcoming Afghanistan series.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Shakib expressed his desire to participate in the Afghanistan series, but uncertainty looms regarding his participation. When asked about this, Faruque displayed some agitation, stating, "Did he tell you personally that he wants to play? First of all, you mentioned that we didn't let him play the last Test; we are not involved in that at all. This is a matter for law enforcement, the government, and Shakib Al Hasan... We were supposed to be a fully auxiliary part of this."

Shakib announced his retirement ahead of the second Test against India in Kanpur but expressed a wish to play his farewell Test during the series against South Africa in Mirpur. He was included in the squad for that Test, but ultimately, he did not make the trip.

Faruque emphasized that the board had made every effort to allow Shakib to play in his home Test. "I did my utmost to ensure that Shakib could retire in his home country. I’ve tried my best. Shakib is not just a player; he has an identity. He was an MP in the last government, and there is a sentiment attached to him. Overall, the government’s perspective and the cricket board’s perspective are not the same. As a former cricketer, I believe that a player who has played cricket for 17 years and has been a brand ambassador for the country deserves this. I thought it would have been great. However, we have to consider other factors as well. In the end, he couldn’t come at the last minute."

He added, "The board had no control over this situation. This is a legal matter involving law enforcement. The board was not part of this. If he had come, we would have tried to provide security for him as best as we could. Since he didn’t come, there’s no point in discussing it further."

Regarding the Afghanistan series, Faruk confirmed that Shakib is still in consideration for the squad, stating, "As the team hasn’t been announced yet, it means Shakib is available."