The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reaffirmed on Wednesday that the team would not travel to India for the T20 World Cup matches, maintaining its firm stance on the issue. This decision taken by the board has the full support of the Bangladesh government. In a recent statement, the BCB emphasised that it is committed to taking all necessary steps to uphold the country’s honour and prestige.
Bangladesh wants its matches to be played at an alternative venue — Sri Lanka, the co-host of the World Cup. After several rounds of meetings with government officials, the BCB communicated this position to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Youth and Sports Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul made a strong statement opposing the idea of travelling to India to participate in the multi-nation event. “The situation in India is not safe enough to play,” he told reporters after Wednesday’s meeting. “We will not compromise on Bangladesh’s dignity. We want to play in another host country, Sri Lanka. We will not compromise on Bangladesh’s honour and prestige. We do not want to play the World Cup at the cost of our country’s dignity.”
Earlier, the BCB had written to the ICC outlining its concerns regarding the safety of players and support staff travelling to India. In response, the ICC on Tuesday reportedly downplayed the security threat and assured the BCB of full protection for the team.
Nazrul added that safety is not the only concern; the primary issue is the sense of humiliation they would feel if they travelled to India. “After reading the letter we received from the ICC today, Wednesday, it appears to us that they have not fully realised the serious security issues facing Bangladesh’s cricketers in India. I believe this is not just a security issue, it is an issue of national humiliation. In any case, we are focusing primarily on the security concern,” he said.
The root of the issue arose when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of this year’s IPL.
BCB President Aminul Islam also supported the minister’s decision, stating: “Beyond the players, there is a large group of people, our journalists, cricket sponsors and fans, many of whom will attend the matches. The cricket board alone cannot ensure all aspects of security. That is why we follow government directives. For any foreign tour, we require a Government Order (GO). We have reviewed the status of that order. Now we know that if the security situation does not improve, we will continue to fight for our rights.”
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