DHAKA: Bangladesh should have participated in this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, a government-appointed inquiry committee has concluded.
The three-member committee held the former interim government and then Youth and Sports Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul primarily responsible for Bangladesh’s absence from the tournament.
“Bangladesh should have gone and participated in the tournament,” committee member Barrister Faisal Dastagir said on Tuesday while releasing the 22-page report at the National Sports Council.
The committee found that political tensions between India and Bangladesh, the International Cricket Council’s refusal to move Bangladesh’s matches and government intervention had a “very high” impact on the decision.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s failure in negotiations was rated as having a “high” impact. A breakdown in communication was assessed as having a “medium” impact.
Dastagir said the committee reached its conclusion after examining media reports and speaking to people familiar with the matter.
He said the committee considered Asif Nazrul and the government responsible for the decision.
Political Tensions Behind Withdrawal
The report said Bangladesh’s players and supporters suffered most from the country’s absence.
It concluded that the national team should have travelled to the tournament.
The report also included testimony from BCB president Tamim Iqbal, who criticised the influence of political considerations on the decision.
“Personal grudges powered by another country’s opinion should not be the factor in destroying the dreams of players and people of Bangladesh,” Tamim said, according to the report.
He alleged that security concerns were used as a pretext. He also claimed the decision was influenced more by political positioning and anti-India sentiment than sporting considerations.
According to Tamim, the sports adviser and government officials initially supported Bangladesh’s participation. However, they later changed their position.
Tamim also told the committee that 14 teams opposed Bangladesh’s request to move its matches out of India.
He said the Pakistan Cricket Board supported the proposed venue change.
Dispute Over Tournament Venue
The dispute began on January 3 after Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its squad following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Relations between India and Bangladesh had already deteriorated.
The BCB subsequently asked the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches from India to Sri Lanka. The board cited security concerns.
The ICC rejected the request after reviewing security assessments. It said there was no credible or verifiable threat to Bangladesh players, officials, media or supporters in India.
On January 21, the ICC Board confirmed that Bangladesh’s matches would remain in India.
The governing body said changing the schedule at that stage was not feasible. It also warned that doing so could affect the integrity of future ICC events.
Bangladesh later refused to participate under the published schedule.
The team was replaced by Scotland on January 24. The tournament was held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Committee Could Not Interview Nazrul
The decision triggered controversy in Bangladesh.
Players reportedly wanted to participate despite the government’s position. In March, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque announced an investigation into Bangladesh’s absence from the tournament.
The National Sports Council formally formed the inquiry committee on May 10.
Dr A.K.M. Oli Ullah, additional secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, headed the panel. Former national captain Habibul Bashar and Faisal Dastagir were its other members.
The committee was initially given 15 working days to submit its findings.
The panel interviewed 12 people and included summaries of their statements in its report.
However, it said it could not obtain statements from Asif Nazrul and former BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul.
The committee also did not contact the ICC during its investigation.
Nazrul Defends Decision
After the report was released, Nazrul said he had never denied making the decision not to send Bangladesh’s team to India.
In a Facebook post, he said the decision was primarily his responsibility as sports adviser.
He defended the decision on grounds of national dignity and the safety of cricketers, journalists and supporters.
Nazrul also cited stability ahead of Bangladesh’s national election.
He questioned why the matter was investigated several months after the tournament.
He also maintained that the interim government had made extensive efforts to move Bangladesh’s matches to another venue.
Recommendations
The committee recommended keeping cricket separate from political disputes.
It also called for greater independence for the BCB and better communication between the government, cricket board and other stakeholders during crises.
The panel recommended giving greater priority to players’ welfare and security.
It also proposed developing a national framework for sports diplomacy.
