The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Monday heaved a sigh of relief after it successfully completed the security briefing over the ICC World Twenty20, 2014 to the representatives of participating teams. Representatives of five top cricketing nations – Australia, England, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – attended the briefing along with the ICC and BCB officials at a city hotel.
BCB president Nazmul Hasan said that they were able to satisfy representatives who were given power-point presentations by the BCB. Representatives of different government security agencies were also present at the briefing to explain their plan.
‘There was no major issue in the conference,’ Nazmul told reporters after the briefing. ‘You all know we went through some political unrest even a few days ago. But now it’s not like that.
‘Still, the security plan that we have prepared is very strong. The representatives of different government agencies were present there.
‘They explained it to the dignitaries on how to handle a certain situation.
‘Questions came about what kind of precautionary measures have been taken for different situations and they were answered.
‘I think they are all satisfied,’ he said.
BCB security committee chairman Manzur Kader told New Age that the Dhaka Police Commissioner explained how different Bangladesh’s security plan was compared to some other countries who faced similar situations in the past.
The Dhaka Police Commissioner also showed the representatives a video of the Lahore attack on Sri Lankan cricketers and flaws in the security plan at that time. He showed how comprehensive Bangladesh’s security plan was compared to that.
Pakistan is one country that has publicly expressed its reservation about playing in Bangladesh in a volatile political situation.
However, the BCB president dismissed any fear saying that there was nothing to be worried about.
‘Pakistan had a little bit of concern but not on the security issue. They were afraid since there was some campaign against their country here,’ said Nazmul.
‘We told them that sports was exempt from everything. Since they raised the issue we will provide them additional security. There is nothing to be concerned about this.’
The security plan is now expected to be discussed in an ICC executive board meeting on January 28 before a final decision is made.
-With New Age input
