United News of Bangladesh

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has denied the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) plea to relocate Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches from India to an alternative venue, a senior BCB official told UNB. It has opened the door for Scotland to play in the World Cup, according to the reports. The decision follows the Bangladesh government's refusal to send the national team to India, citing “genuine and severe” security risks that the global body failed to address. Despite BCB’s last-ditch appeal to the ICC’s Independent Dispute Resolution Committee, the global body proceeded with the replacement, adhering to its ultimatum regarding the tournament schedule. Scotland, as the highest-ranked qualifier, will now take Bangladesh’s spot in the group stage. The withdrawal is rooted in what Dhaka describes as a hostile climate in India. The Bangladesh government pointed to the forced removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL by the BCCI earlier this month due to security threats as undeniable proof that player safety could not be guaranteed. Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul had vehemently argued that reports of mob lynchings of suspected Bangladeshis in West Bengal and threats from political groups like Shiv Sena made the tour impossible. Travel to India for T20 World Cup or be replaced: ICC warns Bangladesh “We cannot bow our heads and push our players into a genuine risk,” the Sports Adviser had said recently, emphasizing that national dignity and life took precedence over sport. While critics, including former official Syed Ashraful Haque, argued the decision should have been left to the players, the government maintained that state security is a sovereign responsibility. For Bangladesh, this boycott invites potential heavy sanctions and financial losses, but it stands as a message that the safety of its citizens remains non-negotiable.