When young chinaman bowler Nuhayel Sandeed was selected for the Bangladesh Cricket Board's High Performance Unit, it raised more than a few eyebrows.

It was a similar story when he debuted in the Dhaka Premier League, the country's long-standing List A competition, and nothing changed when he began bowling in the national nets. The whispers trailed him everywhere. Though only 17, he was already being cast as someone riding on his father's influence rather than his own skill. And with his father, Mohammad Salahuddin, regarded as one of Bangladesh's most accomplished local coaches, those accusations were almost inevitable.

Salahuddin, currently serving as a senior assistant coach, has long been in demand in domestic cricket. He has won the Bangladesh Premier League, and he has three Dhaka Premier League titles, often described as the most demanding competition on the domestic circuit. He also has a Corporate League title to his name.

On Sunday, Salahuddin told Cricbuzz that he has made a difficult decision: he will no longer coach in domestic cricket because he does not want his presence to interfere with his son's journey.

"Yes, it's true. Because I've felt that my son is growing up, he has to play cricket. I think if I stay here, it will be a problem for him. Normally then people might say that his father is helping him, nepotism. So I don't want that. That's why I want that when he starts playing, he plays on his own merit because if I stay here, it might become an obstacle for his career," said Salahuddin.

He added that his son's name being dragged into conversations about favoritism has become a routine burden. "So for this reason I'm thinking that no, since he has grown up now, let him play, let him play on his merit, and at least he should be mentally free when he plays cricket," he said. "Yes that (people saying that he is getting privilege because of me) and I can't do anything about it and that's exactly why I think it's better for me to stay away from here for his sake.

"Especially since he is playing cricket now and he enjoys it, I shouldn't become any obstacle because at the end of the day, every father is a hero to his son. If he sees that his father is being criticized a lot, that people are talking about his father, or about him, then it can mentally disturb him a lot."

Salahuddin said that stepping away would allow his son to grow in a healthier environment. "So that's why I feel that when he plays at a good level, plays in a good team, I should stay away from here. Maybe I will just support him from outside. Rather than fear, I feel that these things affect the boys a lot. Ultimately, whether it's your child or my students, when criticism happens about me, it affects them mentally.

"Not just my son, I have hundreds of students, maybe two or three hundred students who love me, who think about me. When they hear anything negative, it affects them mentally as well. So that is exactly what I want: if I stay away from professional cricket, it will probably help them a lot. They will be able to play cricket properly. At the end of the day, the boys are the ones who will play. So their mental state should stay good, they should play good cricket, that's where my focus will be," he said.