Following an emergency meeting on Sunday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided that the national team will not travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
In a press release, the BCB said it has formally urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s four group-stage matches, which were originally scheduled to be held in Kolkata and Mumbai, outside India.
The board confirmed that the decision was taken after consultation with the government. “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 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 BCB said in the statement.
Bangladesh’s Interim government adviser for youth and sports, Asif Nazrul, welcomed the decision, calling it appropriate. “I welcome this decision in light of the aggressive communal policies of the Indian cricket board,” he wrote on Facebook.
A night earlier, Nazrul had also posted, “When a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being under contract, the entire Bangladesh team cannot feel safe travelling there to play a World Cup.”
Bangladesh have been placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal. According to the original schedule, Bangladesh’s first three group matches were set to be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 7, 9, and 14, with the final group match scheduled for Mumbai on February 17.
A senior BCB official, speaking to Times of Bangladesh on condition of anonymity, said the board’s position is firm. “We have clearly informed them that we will not go to India to play the World Cup. If they cannot ensure the security of one of our cricketers, how will they ensure the safety of the entire team?” the official said.
The official added that the decision was taken keeping broader safety concerns in mind. “Many people from Bangladesh would travel to watch the matches, and journalists would also go. Considering everyone’s safety, such a decision has been taken. We will not play in India. If we play, it will be in Sri Lanka.”
Meanwhile, reports have emerged regarding the ICC’s response. Cricbuzz reported that the ICC may be open to considering the BCB’s request to shift Bangladesh’s matches out of India, with Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host, being the only realistic alternative venue. However, according to the BCB, the ICC has yet to make any official decision, with a ruling expected within the next two days.
However, as per NDTV, a source from the BCCI claimed that with just one month remaining before the tournament, making such a change is nearly impossible. The source said, “The World Cup matches cannot be moved on a whim. It would be a logistical nightmare. Consider the other teams; they have already booked their flights and hotels. In addition, there are three matches scheduled each day, one of which is in Sri Lanka. There are also broadcasting crews to consider. So, while it’s easy to say, it’s much harder to implement.”
On Saturday, the BCB’s board of directors held a meeting in Sylhet following Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad on the directive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The meeting concluded with the decision to formally raise concerns with both the ICC and the BCCI regarding player safety and Mustafizur’s IPL snub.
Mustafizur’s exclusion from the IPL triggered a chain of events that eventually led the BCB to take a firm stance on not sending players to India. The controversy traces back to the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment factory worker, on December 18 in Valuka, Mymensingh. Dipu was reportedly dismissed from his workplace, beaten to death over allegations of religious insult, and his body was later set on fire.
Following reports of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, political reactions in India escalated sharply. Anand Dubey, national spokesperson of Shiv Sena (UBT), publicly criticised Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan, saying, “If Shah Rukh Khan plays him (Mustafizur) and earns money, that money will be used to nurture terrorists and conspire against our country. We will not allow this to happen at any cost.”
Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som echoed similar sentiments, stating, “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being tortured, killed, and driven out of their homes. Buying players from there is treason against the country. People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the government is also considering suspending Indian Premier League (IPL) broadcasts in the country following the controversial exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman.
On Sunday, she said the authorities are reviewing the legal basis and procedural requirements before taking any action. “We need to review the legal framework and processes before taking any steps. Only then will we decide on the appropriate response,” Rizwana said.
