The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has sent another formal letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), reinforcing its refusal to send the national team to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup amid escalating safety concerns. The latest communication comes in the aftermath of Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad on the directive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a move that has triggered a wider sporting and diplomatic fallout between the two neighbours.
In its letter on Thursday, the BCB outlined why it believes India is currently unsafe for Bangladeshi cricketers, team officials, journalists and fans travelling for the tournament, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. A close source told Times of Bangladesh that the outcome of the discussions is expected by 10 January. Sources familiar with the development said the BCB has submitted supporting documents and references to the ICC, detailing potential security risks that could arise during the World Cup. Neither the ICC nor the BCB has made any official public comment so far.
Earlier on Monday, following an emergency meeting of its board of directors, the BCB formally requested the ICC to relocate all of Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup to venues outside India. In a media release issued after the meeting, the BCB said the board had reviewed recent developments and expressed “deep concern” over the team’s travel and participation in India.
“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India, and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” the statement said.
On Wednesday afternoon, senior BCB officials met Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul to review the situation. Bulbul attended the meeting alongside Faruque Ahmed and other board directors. Indian media reports suggesting the tournament could proceed without Bangladesh were firmly rejected. Nazrul said Bangladesh would not accept participation at the cost of disrespect.
“We want to play the World Cup, but not at the cost of national humiliation,” he said. “There will be no compromise on dignity. If necessary, we want to play in Sri Lanka.”
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also warned that security concerns for Bangladeshi players cannot be minimised or brushed aside.
“When a single player is dropped on security grounds, imagine the scale of the issue when it involves an entire national team and a huge number of Bangladeshi supporters,” Bulbul said. “This is a massive matter and it must be treated as such.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal urged the BCB to take a firm and well-considered stance on whether to send the national team to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Tamim also addressed the possibility of the BCB reversing its decision not to travel to India.
“After taking a final decision and completing discussions with the ICC, a comment should be made. If every step is disclosed publicly, it unnecessarily creates uncertainty. One week later, if the decision changes and Bangladesh ends up playing in India, how will the board respond to what it said earlier? That is not proper. The board should decide internally first and then communicate it,” he said.
The BCB and ICC held a virtual meeting on Tuesday. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC warned Bangladesh it would have to play in India or forfeit points. The BCB has formally denied receiving any such ultimatum.
Mustafizur remains central to the developments that escalated tensions last week. Bangladesh has since taken a firm position against touring India, while the Ministry of Information has imposed a ban on Indian Premier League broadcasts until further notice. Indian television host Ridhima Pathak, who was scheduled to take part in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, has opted out amid the worsening situation.
