The Bangladesh Cricket Board convened an emergency board meeting in Sylhet on Saturday night, with 17 directors in attendance, and decided that the BCB would write to the International Cricket Council on Sunday.
The meeting came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s directive led to Mustafizur Rahman being released by Kolkata Knight Riders, triggering questions over Bangladesh’s security in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Although the BCB has made no official comment on the matter, board sources indicated that the letter will prioritise three key issues. First, the ICC will be asked how it plans to ensure the overall security of Bangladesh’s cricketers during the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. However, Bangladesh is scheduled to play all their group-stage matches in India.
Second, the BCB will seek clarification on how the current situation arose, particularly in light of aggressive remarks made by various Indian political figures surrounding Mustafizur, and what measures will be taken should similar incidents recur in the near future.
Taking these concerns into account, the board will also ask the ICC to clarify its position on the safety of BCB officials, team management members, fans, and journalists associated with the Bangladesh team who wish to attend the matches.
Earlier, BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board would wait for an official communication from the BCCI regarding both Mustafizur’s exclusion and the broader security concerns ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking during a question and answer session after the inauguration of the BCB’s regional office in Sylhet, Bulbul said, “The issue is that at this moment, our counterpart is the BCCI, and we play under ICC supervision. We know Mustafizur was set to play franchise cricket, but we have not received any official statement or information yet. Once we do, we will inform you.”
In the forthcoming T20 World Cup’s Group C, Bangladesh will face England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal. The first three matches will be held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 7, 9, and 14, with the group stage concluding with Bangladesh’s final match at Wangkhede in Mumbai on February 17.
