Since Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur Rahman on Saturday following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a question has popped up, will the Bangladesh team play in the World Cup there? How will they ensure the team’s safety in the ICC T20 World Cup starting February 7?
According to multiple Indian media outlets citing a BCCI official, Bangladeshi fans and journalists hoping to watch the matches will face significant difficulties obtaining visas.
In the 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. The group stage concludes with Bangladesh’s final match at Eden Gardens in Mumbai on February 17.
However, India’s recent political chill with Bangladesh and incidents of minority persecution in Bangladesh have led some Indian political leaders to react strongly over Mustafizur being signed in the IPL.
Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som said, “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being tortured, killed, and thrown out of their homes, naked and beaten. Buying players from there is treason against the country. People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors.”
This has raised concerns about Bangladesh’s security during the World Cup. If the team faces any protests in Kolkata or Mumbai, the International Cricket Council (ICC) could also come under scrutiny. This year, the T20 World Cup will be held jointly in India and Sri Lanka.
Two questions arise from this situation. First, will Sri Lanka be suggested as an alternative venue to the ICC? Second, if a IPL team drops Mustafizur from the IPL due to security issues, how will India, as the host, ensure the safety of the entire team?
Former captain Rajin Saleh told Times of Bangladesh, “This is a very shocking incident for Bangladesh cricket. My question is, if security is the issue, Bangladesh is about to play in the World Cup. If they can’t provide security just for Mustafizur, how will we ensure safety for nearly twenty players?”
On Saturday, after the launch of BCB’s first regional office in Sylhet, during a Q&A session, BCB director and Media Committee chairman Amzad Hossain said, “The ICC will decide which venue is suitable.”
Earlier, BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said, “I will give a quick answer, which is short. The ICC is organising the tournament, India is the host. If we need to communicate, we will do so through the ICC.”
The Indian media has been flooded with harsh political remarks. A journalist asked whether Bangladesh is being disrespected. Director Amzad did not comment on this and replied directly that the safety of the players is the priority.
Amzad said, “We need to move past these kinds of issues. We have not experienced this before. This is the first time. We have not formally received any information from India either. Therefore, we cannot take any action on that. What we are saying is that the dignity and safety of our players is always our priority. We will take the best possible decisions in time.”
