Shakib Al Hasan – the star allrounder of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team is once again in the news – this time for a viral video that has created a storm in the social media in the past few days. In the controversial video, an irritated Shakib was seen verbally attacking a fan and showing some ‘vulgar' gestures. So what made him do that? Why he did what he did?

This reporter talked with some people who were present at the Marriot Hotel Lobby in Lauderhill Florida on 5 August when the incident happened. Reza Islam, an enthusiastic cricket lover, says, ‘The incident happened at 2 am when the players were returning to the hotel after clinching the T20 series against the West Indies. We were more than 100 people in numbers who were present at the hotel lobby to receive our cricketers, and we greeted them with flowers. They patiently received the flowers and took selfies with almost every one of us.  Shakib Bhai was tired, and he had two luggage on his hands. Despite this, he posed for a photograph with that so-called fan. What made him angry was that guy's arrogance and when he touched the collar of Shakib bhai's shirt from behind and asked for more pictures. When Shakib Bhai refused, he said, ‘Who the hell are you? What do you think about yourself? Why do you have such arrogance?’

That's the moment Shakib got mad and lost his cool. He went close to that guy and replied, ‘Who the hell are you?’ Shakib continued the verbal criticisms, and the organizers interfered and took him to a safe distance from that guy.

Imran Jony, an organizer who coordinated an event with Shakib Al Hasan during this series in Florida, was also present when this sad incident happened. He says, ‘That so-called fan was disrespectful to not only to Shakib Bhai but also to the West Indies team as well. He mocked the West Indies players for losing against Bangladesh and fortunately for him that the West Indies players did not take that to their head.’

He further adds, ‘Shakib Al Hasan has a wrist injury, and he is supposed to do surgery as per the doctors advise. He is procrastinating because his priority now is to play for Bangladesh in these important matches. He told me he would do the surgery when Bangladesh gets a long break from the international matches. Such a dedicated player does not deserve treatment like this. I've seen unruly fans here in Florida teased him and his wife, hurled abusive languages towards her. But Shakib did not get mad. He just got surprised that how can his Bangladeshi fans be so irresponsible and uncivilized in a civilized country like the USA! It is a collective shame for all of us as a nation that we do not know how to behave with our national heroes.’ 

Yours truly met Shakib a lot of times. Each encounter with this superstar of Bangladesh cricket team was memorable, and he never refused to take pictures. A few days ago at an event in Florida, I met him and had a brief chat with him. I do not think Shakib Al Hasan is arrogant. He is genuinely humble and always gives ample times for his fans to take pictures with him. But fans also need to understand where to draw the line. You may not like Shakib's political views or opinions on national issues. But that should not be the criteria to judge him as a person or as a cricketer. Fans should not keep on bothering a celebrity and ask for pictures when he or she is physically or mentally not in the right shape.

(Nazmus Saquib is a freelance journalist now based in Florida, USA. He was formerly associated with The Independent as a feature writer)