Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. File photo

DHAKA, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS) - Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has raised concerns over the security of the national cricket team ahead of upcoming matches in India, citing recent attacks on people suspected to be Bangladeshis and political remarks warning against hosting Bangladesh in certain cities. 

He urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to consider relocating the matches to Sri Lanka to ensure player safety and fairness.

"When India decides not to play in Pakistan, ICC complies. When Pakistan doesn't want to play in India, ICC complies. When Bangladesh requested the same for genuine security reasons, the ICC has done the opposite," Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said in post on his verified Facebook account this afternoon.

Farooki noted that Manjur Laskar, a West Bengal-born Muslim man, was recently beaten to death over suspicion of being Bangladeshi. 

He also referenced political remarks, including those by Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray, warning against hosting Bangladesh in Mumbai, a scheduled venue for upcoming matches.

"If you add up these to the long running anti-Bangladesh hate campaign, which resulted in removing Mustafiz from IPL, you must admit that the security threat to Bangladeshi players in India is genuine. Even the ICC internal and independent security assessment found moderate to high risk for Bangladesh players and fans in India, provided Mustafiz was included in the team and they wore Bangladesh jerseys," Farooki further said.

Farooki urged the ICC to must take Bangladesh's genuine concerns into cognisance and relocate Bangladesh's matches from India to Sri Lanka to ensure the team's safety and demonstrate neutrality.