Former Bangladesh cricketer Nafis Iqbal has been relieved of his duties as the national team's operations manager.

Nafis signed the team sheet in the third ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand on Tuesday, suggesting he was removed while the match was still on.

A source close to Nafis confirmed the development. However, Nafis was not available for immediate comment.

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This development has coincided with the buzz in Bangladesh cricketing circles regarding his younger brother Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh's leading run-scorer in international cricket. 

The buzz suggests he may be left out of the World Cup squad.

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Following the T20 World Cup last year, Nafis was appointed to a staff role with the national team. Since then, there have been sporadic reports about his potential removal, though none had materialized until now.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that the World Cup squad will be announced after the third and final ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand, scheduled to take place in Mirpur on Tuesday.

As of now, it remains uncertain whether Tamim will secure a spot in the World Cup squad. Unconfirmed sources have suggested that Tamim's inclusion in the Bangladesh World Cup team may be in doubt due to uncertainties surrounding his fitness.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) did not confirm the reason behind Nafis’ removal. Several attempts by UNB to get BCB’s comments went in vain, as no official was available for comment.