BCB open to 'enhance' security for potential home series against India

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) security committee chairman Sayeed Ibrahim Ahmed on Tuesday expressed the body's readiness to enhance the security measures for the home series against India planned for August-September this year.

After months of strained relationship between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the BCB, which stemmed from Bangladesh's experienced pacer Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), the latter board started efforts to salvage their cricketing ties in April.

In a letter to the BCCI, the BCB also highlighted India men's cricket team's tour to Bangladesh, scheduled for September, which was postponed last year due to the diplomatic situation between the two neighbouring countries.

However, the latest media reports indicate that the long-delayed series could finally take place in the aforementioned window as the BCB reportedly invited bids for the television and digital media rights covering its home international fixtures for 2026 and 2027.

Although neither cricket board had officially commented on the reported progress of the tour until the start of this month, BCB's security committee chairman Ibrahim expressed their readiness to provide the Indian cricket team with full-scale security if they cross the border for the bilateral white-ball series in August-September.

Ibrahim also clarified that there were no such positive messages from the BCCI yet but insisted that the preparations were underway for India's tour, which he claimed was "coming up very soon".

"Security is always a concern for every touring side, especially for the major cricketing nations. We have not yet formally started communication with them (BCCI). We are hopeful there will be no complaints if the tour takes place as planned," Ibrahim told reporters in Dhaka on Tuesday.

"We always try to organise our events in a controlled environment and ensure the highest standards of security. We will continue to do that.

"It (security measures) will depend on the situation (during the India series) and if required we will enhance the security," he said.

"There has been no such positive message yet (with the BCCI) and we are still working out the details of the tour. We are trying to establish communication through our formal channels because the tour is coming up very soon," he added.