BCB president breaks silence on Bangladesh refusing to travel to India for T20 World Cup: 'We do not feel secure'

Bangladesh’s decision not travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 has sent shockwaves across the cricket world, especially with the tournament just a month away. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam has now broken his silence and explained why such a strong step was taken.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Aminul said the decision was not sudden and was taken only after detailed discussions within the board. He revealed that multiple meetings were held with BCB directors before arriving at the conclusion. According to him, the board does not feel confident about sending the team to India for a global event due to safety concerns.

BCB president reacts

Aminul confirmed that the BCB has formally communicated its concerns to the International Cricket Council (ICC). He said a letter and an email have been sent, clearly explaining Bangladesh’s position. The board is now waiting for a response from the ICC and expects a meeting where they can further explain their concerns. He also made it clear that the BCB is not in direct contact with the BCCI.

“You know that we, along with all the directors of the cricket board, held two meetings before taking this decision and at this moment we do not feel secure sending our team to India to play the World Cup,” Aminul was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

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“So we wrote a letter to the ICC, and in the letter we clearly stated what we wanted to say. Because to us, security appeared to be a major concern and that is what we are following. We have sent an email to the ICC and we are expecting them to tell us to have a meeting with them soon where we will express our concern,” he added.

The BCB president stressed that cricketing relations and security concerns are two separate matters. While Bangladesh has no issue playing India in bilateral series or global tournaments, the current focus is only on the safety aspect related to the World Cup. Aminul added that the board’s next step will depend entirely on the ICC’s response.

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“But what our next step will be depends on the reply to the email we have sent. We do not know what feedback will come (from ICC), but the clauses we have given are within the MPO. We are not communicating with BCCI because this is an ICC event. We are communicating with the ICC,” he said.

“Look, cricket between the two countries (relationship between India and Bangladesh), like playing a bilateral series or playing in the World Cup, is one thing and security concern is another matter,” Aminul added.

The situation escalated after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad following instructions from the BCCI. Although the Indian board did not officially state the reason, the decision could be linked to rising attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Mustafizur, who was bought for Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, was later denied a No Objection Certificate by the BCB, ruling him out of the 19th season even if KKR reverse their decision.

The move triggered strong reactions in Bangladesh, including from the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Several ministers accused the BCCI of politicising cricket. The Bangladesh government openly supported the stance taken by the BCB. They also banned the broadcast of the IPL in the country.

Bangladesh were scheduled to play their group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, with their tournament opener against the West Indies set for February 7 at Eden Gardens.