No Compromise on Cricketers’ Security, Country’s Dignity: Asif Nazrul

Bangladesh's Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul today reaffirmed that the country will stand firm on its decision not to participate in the T20 World Cup in India due to ongoing security concerns. The advisor expressed confidence that they would be able to present a strong case to the International Cricket Council (ICC), stating that the primary principle of their stance is the safety of Bangladesh's cricketers. The statement came after a meeting at the secretariat on Wednesday, attended by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul, board directors, and officials from the Youth and Sports Ministry.

"We will not compromise on the security of our cricketers, the security of Bangladesh, or the dignity of Bangladesh. We want to play cricket, we want to play the World Cup, but we want to do so in another host country, like Sri Lanka," Asif Nazrul said. He made it clear that Bangladesh would maintain its position of not traveling to India. "We hope to explain our position to the ICC and that they will consider our concerns sincerely and impartially.

We have worked hard to qualify for this World Cup, and we hope our arguments will be taken seriously." Earlier, the BCB had written to the ICC expressing concerns over player safety in India and requested that Bangladesh's matches be moved to another location. In response, the ICC assured that it would work closely with the BCB to address the raised security issues, promising to take the board's inputs into consideration as part of the event's security planning. However, the advisor was not satisfied with the ICC's response, stating, "After reading the letter from the ICC today, it appears they have not fully grasped the magnitude of the security concerns we have for our players in India. This is not just a security issue; it is a matter of national dignity."

The situation gained further attention when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL franchise to release Bangladesh's star pacer, Mustafizur Rahman, citing security concerns. Asif Nazrul pointed out that this action was a tacit acknowledgement of the insecurity surrounding Bangladesh players in India. "This is a clear indication that conditions in India are not safe for our players," he said, adding, "We are focusing solely on the security issue, and we will not compromise on the safety and dignity of Bangladesh."

When queried about Bangladesh's stance provided the ICC does not agree to their request, Asif Nazrul informed, "Our first stand is to convince the ICC. We have strong arguments and we will convince them with those arguments. The core principle of our stand is that on the question of Bangladesh's security, Bangladesh's honour and Bangladesh's dignity, there will be no compromise." "But we definitely want to play the T20 World Cup. After that, whatever the situation becomes, we will sit and take a decision. So far, our decision is clear: we will explain to the ICC that there is no environment in India for us to play safely. The letter will be sent tonight or by tomorrow morning."