Clashes broke out between pro and anti Shakib Al Hasan groups outside the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday, on the eve of the first Test between Bangladesh and South Africa.
As per ESPNCricinfo, a group which calls itself "Shakibians" chanted slogans, demanding the former skipper be reinstated in the Test squad, but they were chased away by another group despite the presence of security forces. All this while the South African team were training inside the stadium.
There were no injuries reported amid the clash, but the Dhaka-based Prothom Alo said that security forces detained one person.
Until the clash, the two sets of protesters - those who want Shakib to play a farewell Test series at home and those who are politically opposed to the all-rounder, who was a member of the Awami League party whose government was overthrown in August, had conducted themselves peacefully even in protests.
Shakib was initially included in Bangladesh's squad for the first Test against South Africa, but a day later, a group called Mirpur Chhatra Janata (a student body) sent the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) a letter demanding his removal.
Things moved quickly since. Shakib notified he wouldn't be travelling to the country for the game - even as he was on his way from the US and halted in Dubai.
The BCB withdrew him from the squad the following day, with sports advisor Asif Bhuiyan confirming he had advised Shakib against travelling to Bangladesh because of security concerns.
The pro-Shakib group had gathered outside the stadium for the first time on Friday, demanding his reinstatement in the Test squad. They continued their demands on Sunday, though this time they were barricaded by security.
Shakib lives primarily in New York City and hasn't been to his home country since May. At the time of the anti-government protests, which led to the removal of the Sheikh Hasina (Awami League) government, Shakib was in Canada taking part in Global T20 Canada.
Prior to that, he was in the USA for Major League Cricket and, since then, he has played Test cricket in Pakistan and India besides playing County cricket for Somerset.
