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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is now awaiting a response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after announcing it would not travel to India for the T20 World Cup.
The ICC is expected to invite the board for a meeting shortly, BCB President Aminul Islam said on Monday, bdnews24.com reports.
Speaking after visiting the BNP office in Gulshan to pay respects to Khaleda Zia, Aminul explained the board’s rationale behind the decision.
“We held two meetings with the cricket board’s directors before taking this decision. As you are aware, we do not feel safe for our team to play in India at this moment. That is why we wrote to the ICC, outlining what we intend to do. Security is a major concern for us,” he said.
The BCB was dismayed by the manner in which Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League.
“Mustafizur is one of our finest cricketers and among the best fast bowlers Bangladesh has ever produced,” BCB President Aminul Islam said.
“Players compete with their dignity intact. As board officials, myself included, we cannot accept any treatment that undermines that dignity. This has hurt all of us.”
The board has yet to receive a formal response from the ICC, though Aminul said discussions were expected shortly.
“They will call us for a meeting very soon,” he said. “We will place our concerns before them. Our next steps will depend on how the ICC responds to the communication we have already sent.”
Uncertainty also hangs over bilateral cricket relations. India had been scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August, a series that was postponed last year at India’s request. In the current climate, the fate of that tour remains unclear.
Bulbul declined to speculate on how the World Cup decision might affect bilateral ties.
“A bilateral series is one matter; the security of a World Cup is another,” he said. “For now, our focus is solely on the World Cup.”
He added that the BCB had not held direct discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the issue, choosing instead to raise its concerns with the ICC.
BCB Vice-President Faruque Ahmed was more explicit, saying: “The BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders not to include Mustafizur. We were not informed. It is deeply unfortunate that a highly capable cricketer has been prevented from showcasing his talent in the IPL for political reasons.”
Mustafizur was dropped by KKR on Saturday following the directive. The next day, the BCB formally notified the ICC that Bangladesh would not play its World Cup matches in India.
On Monday, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered a suspension of IPL broadcasts in the country.
Asked about the broadcast ban, Aminul said: “The IPL is India’s domestic competition. Decisions on whether it is broadcast in Bangladesh rest with the government. We support the government’s decision.”