The Bangladesh cricket team has announced that it will not travel to India to play matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup, citing security concerns for their players amid rising diplomatic and communal tensions between the two countries.
The decision was confirmed on Sunday by the Bangladesh Cricket Board following an emergency meeting of its directors. The board said it acted on guidance from the Bangladeshi government after assessing what it described as a deteriorating security environment for the national team in India.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8 and is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh were due to play three group-stage matches in Kolkata. The BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council to relocate all of Bangladesh’s fixtures to a venue outside India.
In a statement, the board said it could not guarantee the safety of its players under the current circumstances.
“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India, and considering guidance from the government, the board resolved that the national team will not travel to India for the tournament under the present conditions,” the statement said.
IPL release sparks backlash
The decision comes a day after Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its squad. The franchise said it acted on instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
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Mustafizur, one of Bangladesh’s most prominent international players, had been contracted to play in the IPL, the world’s richest domestic T20 league. His sudden release triggered widespread criticism in Bangladesh, with officials and commentators questioning whether Bangladeshi players could expect fair treatment or personal safety in India.
Asif Nazrul, an adviser to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Sports, publicly backed the board’s decision and criticised India’s cricket authorities.
He said the move was taken in the context of what he described as the “communal approach” of India’s cricket administration, adding that if a Bangladeshi cricketer could not play in India despite holding a valid contract, the national team could not feel secure travelling there for a global tournament.
Nazrul said he had instructed the BCB to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s other host nation.
Indian cricket authorities have not publicly linked Mustafizur’s release to political or communal considerations.
Diplomatic tensions and unrest
Relations between India and Bangladesh have become increasingly strained in recent months, adding to the cricketing dispute.
Last month, protests were held outside Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi following the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district. Das was beaten and set on fire by a mob that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Bangladeshi authorities later arrested 12 people in connection with the killing.
The incident fuelled anger in India and further strained bilateral ties. Relations had already deteriorated after Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi amid mass protests that forced her from office.
Bangladesh officials say these developments, along with growing communal polarisation in the region, have contributed to an environment in which their players could face hostility.
Nazrul said the board’s position was clear: if a Bangladeshi player could not safely participate in India’s domestic league, it would be unreasonable to expect the entire national team to travel there for a major international tournament.
ICC yet to decide
The ICC has not yet responded publicly to Bangladesh’s request to relocate its matches. Any change would require logistical adjustments, including venue bookings, broadcast arrangements and ticketing.
Bangladesh’s decision could mark one of the most significant political disruptions to a global cricket tournament in recent years, highlighting how sport in South Asia is often shaped by diplomacy and domestic politics.
For now, the BCB said its priority remains the safety of its players, even if that means stepping away from matches in one of cricket’s largest markets.
