CA meet with Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka

Cricket365
October 7, 2015

Representatives from Cricket Australia are meeting with top-level Bangladesh security and intelligence officials in Dhaka this week, as they try to sort out whether there is a security threat against the Australians.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs announced last week that they had received "reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests" in Bangladesh.

Cricket Australia postponed the trip and opted instead to send officials to meet with the Intelligence agencies in Dhaka, though the Asian nation say the cricket team will be perfectly safe.

But CA are taking no risks, with a spokesman saying on Monday that they were standing firm on the postponement, for now: "There has been no change to the situation or our current position.

"Our Head of Security has had a number of meetings with Bangladeshi government and cricket officials in Dhaka today.

"We are also continuing to liaise closely with the Australian government on the matter."

BCB president Nazmul Hassan felt the caution was warranted, but felt that his country would be able to protect the cricketers from any threat, and said it wasn't only Bangladesh that was part of the warning.

Hassan said: "They have information that Australian interest is under threat but that is not confined to Bangladesh, it is also in other neighbouring countries.

"This is their concern. But I have told them that Bangladesh is one of the safest places for cricket, especially now.

"I don't belong to the security or the intelligence agencies. I told them, 'If you need a clearer picture, you please talk to the intelligence.'"

The Aussies are supposed to start their tour with a warm up match on 3 October in Fatullah. The first Test is scheduled for 9 October in Chittagong.