Tanzim Hasan Sakib, a promising Bangladeshi cricketer, faced intense controversy on Monday due to his misogynistic social media posts, just days after a spectacular international debut. In the recent Asia Cup match against India, Sakib made an exceptional mark by taking India’s captain, Rohit Sharma’s wicket with only his fourth delivery. He also maintained his composure in the final over, leading Bangladesh to a thrilling victory.

However, the admiration showered on the 20-year-old cricketer quickly turned into outrage as women’s rights activists and feminists condemned his misogynistic remarks found on his social media profiles. In a Facebook post from the previous year, Tanzim Hasan Sakib stated, “If the wife works, the husband’s rights are not ensured.” He continued, “If the wife works, the child’s rights are not ensured. If the wife works, her elegance is damaged. If the wife works, the family is ruined. If the wife works, the veil is ruined. If the wife works, society is ruined.”

Despite the significant role played by women, who make up the majority of the workforce in Bangladesh’s garment factories, which have fueled the country’s economic growth, traditional patriarchal attitudes still prevail in this predominantly Muslim nation.

Tanzim’s comments led to an immediate backlash. Paris-based feminist writer Jannatun Nayeem Prity pointed out that the jerseys worn by the Bangladesh cricket team are primarily produced by female factory workers. Writer Swakrito Noman criticized the comments as “deeply offensive” in a widely-shared Facebook post, demanding that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) investigate Tanzim and insist on an apology. Journalist Mejbaul Haque emphasized that such a distorted form of misogyny is unacceptable, irrespective of the player’s star status.