The Australian team missed its planned departure to Bangladesh after being warned by its government that there was a potential security risk from militants.
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Despite the ongoing doubts, Bangladesh have shown their confidence the tour will go ahead by naming a squad for the first Test, to be captained by Mushfiqur Rahim.
According to Cricket AU, “Cricket Australia’s security entourage have with the upper echelons of Bangladesh’s National security” to decide on the future of the series.
Australian officials were Tuesday returning from Bangladesh after meetings with high-level security figures, but no final decision has yet been taken on the upcoming Test tour, Cricket Australia said.
Asked whether the Test group of was also in fact… “Following yesterday’s meetings, our head of security, team manager and team security manager are on their way home from Bangladesh for further meetings with the Department of Foreign Affairs and to brief our board, management and players on the situation”.
Australia’s Socceroos could also be drawn into the situation ahead of the football team’s scheduled Fifa World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on November 17. “This is part of our consultations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, with the Bangladesh authorities and with Cricket Australia to address our shared interests”. The team was scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on Monday but the Qantas tour of Bangladesh was kept on hold following threat concerns released by the United Kingdom Government.
On Friday, DFAT, which provides travel advice to Australians planning to go overseas, in its notice said, “There is reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh”.
“Such attacks, should they occur, could likely affect other foreigners, including USA citizens”, the US Department of State bulletin stated.
“Terrorists have demonstrated their willingness and ability to attack locations where United States citizens or westerners are known to congregate or visit”.
BCB President Nazmul Hassan and Chief Executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury were present in the meeting too.
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However, he said that a foolproof security plan, which includes input from the Prime Minister’s security advisor, has been arranged for the Australian team and that the visitors wouldn’t have any reason to worry. “This is very disappointing for us”.
