Bangladesh World Cup security chief on Saturday said they would tighten the safety procedures after the West Indies team bus was hit by two stones following their big victory over the co-hosts in the capital.
‘We have reviewed the whole security system and decided to strengthen it further,’ said Colonel (retd) Mesbah Uddin Serniabat, the security director of the World Cup’s local organising committee.
‘We will keep the bystanders away from the footpaths during the team’s travel and will put search lights deep into the dark, narrow alleys on the route,’ he said.
Angry fans, who greeted the opening match of the World Cup with a glorious celebration two weeks ago, threw stones at the West Indies’ team bus on Friday after the home team’s humiliating defeat.
Bangladesh were bundled out for their lowest ever one-day international score of 58 before suffering a nine-wicket defeat.
As the victorious West Indian side sat on the bus shortly after leaving the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium to return to the hotel after the match, some fans threw stones, two of which hit the window and broke the glass.
Tanjeeb Ahsan Saad, manager of the Bangladesh team, however, said their bus was not attacked and they all returned to their hotel safely.
Mesbah said the stones came from a dark alley where there was no security in place.
‘Stoning the West Indies’ team bus was an isolated incident, an emotional outburst of a fan, who mistakenly had targeted the West Indies team,’ he said.
‘Still we have taken it very seriously and informed the International Cricket Council of the details,’ he said.
The fans also vandalised vehicles, burnt banners and festoons in different parts of the capital Dhaka.
The attacks, although resulting in no injuries, are an embarrassment to both the Bangladesh security forces and the government, which has spent millions of dollars on the players’ and fans’ safety.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a parliamentary session last week that hosting the World Cup would cost her government some $67 million against the estimated budget of some $60 million.
Importation of sophisticated scanners and other security equipment and the movement of security personnel caused much of the overspending.
Courtesy of New Age
