Bangladesh call up left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed for 2nd Test against India
Chattogram, Dec 18: Bangladesh handed a maiden Test call-up to left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed on Sunday while leaving out injured pacer Ebadot Hossain for the second red-ball fixture against India next week.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board posted the squad for second Test, scheduled to start from December 22 in Dhaka, on its Twitter handle.
Nasum, who has played four ODIs and 28 T20Is for Bangladesh, has been brought in as cover for skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who is unlikely to bowl in the second Test.
Bangladesh were two bowlers short in the 188-run loss to India in the first Test as Shakib and Hossain didn't bowl in the second innings.
While Shakib is struggling with shoulder and rib issues, Hossain has a back injury.
"He is still struggling with his shoulder and [ribcage] bruising. It left us with four bowlers - a big blow for us," head coach Rusell Domingo said at the post match press conference on Sunday.
"Ebadot broke down, so we were stuck with three bowlers. It is very difficult to balance the side at the moment," he added.
Pacer Shoriful Islam, who sustained a hamstring injury, and opener Tamim Iqbal, who is yet to recover from a groin injury, also failed to make it to the squad for the second Test.
Bangladesh squad for second Test: Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mominul Haque, Yasir Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Liton Das, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Mahmudul Hasan and Rejaur Rahman Raja.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
