Dhaka, Sep 13 (IANS): The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday slapped pacer Shahadat Hossain with a temporary ban.

The cricketer will have to stay off all cricket activities until the charges filed against him under the Women and Children Repression (Prevention) Act are settled, reports bdnews24.com.

BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said police were investigating allegations of child abuse against Hossain.

“It’s a sub-judice matter,” he told reporters on Sunday.

“The board has made a decision. The pacer will remain suspended from BCB cricket activities until investigating authorities give a report and the matter is resolved,” he added.

Hossian and his wife are on the run after being accused of torturing an 11-year-old maid.

After the case was started on September 6, Chowdhury dubbed the episode “unfortunate” and said the board was “utterly embarrassed” at Hossain’s implication in the case.

His parents came to the BCB office seeking help last Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday, BCB Director and Disciplinary Panel chief Sheikh Sohel said Hossain would not be barred from playing in the national league.

He also said the board would not be involved with the matter.

BCB President Nazmul Hassan, however, said on Saturday it was the board that would decide on the issue but he was inclined to keep him out of action.

Hossain last played for the national team in May. He went off the field after bowling only two balls on the first day of the Mirpur Test against Pakistan.

Later, he went under the knife for knee troubles in Australia for which the board paid the expenses.

When Hossain was in Australia for the surgery, there had been several complaints against him involving a breach of discipline that include missing the doctor's appointment twice.