DHAKA, March 16, 2019 (BSS)-A high official of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) insisted that the cricketing nations should rethink about the security strategy for the visiting country in the wake of the terrorist attack in two Mosques of Christchurch in New Zealand.
Even though cricket was not the target, it might affect Bangladesh cricket team who were three to four minutes from being caught up in massacre as they were going to perform Jummah prayer in Al Noor Mosque, in which the terrorist fired openly, leaving several dead.
In the brutal shootout carried out at two different mosques at least 49 people were killed while 40 others were injured that it prompted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to term it a terrorist attack and one of New Zealand’s darkest days.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) were puzzled in the wake of situation which left them in a state: what to do, since they never experienced such sort of incident in their history.
“I was continuously in touch with New Zealand Cricket CEO David White, who looked clearly puzzled as they never experienced such sort of incident,” Chowdhury said. “To our comfort, the cricket was not the target, I can’t imagine and I don’t want to imagine what would happen if the players came earlier and entered into the Mosque.”
The third and final was called off in the wake of the situation and Chowdhury said they would discuss later with the NZC to how the Test match can be held.
“It was eye opener for all of the cricketing nations that they should rethink about the security. Normally in ICC event, the ICC itself sits with every board and take their suggestion regarding security. After taking suggestion from every board they convey it to the host board and arrange security that way.”
“But in the case of bilateral series, it’s the responsibility of the host board to ensure the security. It’s the standard policy. There is no rule that security manager or team will visit with the visiting country. So we have no security official with the team.”
But Chowdhury understood New Zealand matter and said it depends on the security assessment of the country that how they would ensure security.
“In a country like New Zealand, such sort of incident hardly occurs. Probably for the first time, they faced such sort of attack. When we signed MoU for the tour, they vowed to give national level security but it depends on culture. Their national level security is not like us. Basically a country’s security depends on the security assessment of that particular country.”
Chowdhury also said that Bangladesh repeatedly pointed out the security matter in the past, insisting that no country is safe now, which is now proved.
“When Australia, England were worried about our security, we told that no country is safe from terrorist attack. Now the world saw it. In a country like New Zealand this happened. So it’s eye opener for all of us.”
Chowdhury reiterated the BCB president Nazmul Hassan’s stance, saying that they would not visit any country unless there is minimum security standard.
“We will prepare a security standard in the future. If any host country can ensure it, we will visit there.”