Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul. -File photo

DHAKA, Jan 4, 2026 (BSS) - Law, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser and Youth and Sports Adviser to the interim government Dr Asif Nazrul today welcomed the decision of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to send the national team to India to play World Cup matches.

"Bangladesh will not go to India to play the World Cup. Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken the decision today. I welcome this decision taken in the context of the extremist communal policies of the Indian cricket authorities," he said in a Facebook post today.

Earlier, on Saturday night, Dr Asif Nazrul made another post on his verified Facebook page, strongly condemning the pressure exerted by the Indian cricket authorities to drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad.

In that post, he alleged that the Indian cricket board bowed to extremist communal groups and directed the franchise to exclude Mustafizur despite his contractual obligations. "I strongly condemn and protest this," he said.

Dr Nazrul said that, as the adviser of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, he had instructed the Bangladesh Cricket Board to formally explain the entire matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He further said the BCB should clearly inform the ICC that when a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, is prevented from playing in India, it raises serious concerns about the safety and dignity of the entire Bangladesh cricket team in such tournaments.

Referring to this, Dr Nazrul said he had also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be shifted to Sri Lanka instead of India.

Besides, he said he had requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to consider stopping the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh.

"We will never accept the humiliation of Bangladesh cricket, Bangladeshi cricketers or Bangladesh under any circumstances," he wrote, adding, "The days of submission are over."
The BCB decision has sparked wide discussions among cricket fans and analysts, amid growing concerns over player security and political interference in sports.