The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the intervention of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Independent Dispute Resolution Committee, refusing to back down from its demand to shift their T20 World Cup matches out of India.
Despite the ICC's recent ruling that the tournament schedule remains non-negotiable, the Bangladesh government and board remain steadfast in their decision to boycott the Indian leg of the tournament due to unresolved security concerns.
Following a meeting with the World Cup squad at a Dhaka hotel on Thursday, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul declared that there is “no chance” of the government altering its stance.
He confirmed that unless the ICC relocates the fixtures to co-host Sri Lanka, Bangladesh will not participate in the global event scheduled to begin on February 7.
In a fresh email sent to the global body, the BCB reiterated its position and called for the dispute to be adjudicated by the ICC’s independent panel of lawyers, hoping for a neutral verdict on the safety risks involved.
During the meeting with the Sports Adviser, the players were briefed on the geopolitical realities and security threats that necessitated this hardline approach. The squad reportedly expressed no dissent, stating that while their primary role is to play cricket, they respect the decision of the government and the board as their guardians and will support the boycott if necessary.
The crisis was precipitated by the BCCI's decision on January 3 to remove pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL following threats from extremist groups, an incident the Bangladesh government cites as clear evidence that the environment in India is hostile.
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BCB President Aminul Islam maintained that the team is physically and mentally prepared to play but will only do so if the matches are moved to Sri Lanka.
While the ICC has not officially responded to the request for independent arbitration and the BCCI remains silent, a BCB official confirmed that the board will continue to press its demand until the very end.