Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul stated on Tuesday that Bangladesh will remain firm against any unreasonable demands from the International Cricket Council (ICC), particularly those influenced by the Indian Cricket Board (Board of Control for Cricket in India-BCCI).

Speaking at the Secretariat, Nazrul made it clear that the nation refuses to be coerced into participating in the T20 World Cup in India under the current circumstances.

“If the International Cricket Council (ICC) bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose any illogical condition on us, we will not accept,” he told reporters.

The Adviser further emphasized that Bangladesh cannot be forced to travel to India for the tournament against its will.

Addressing media reports suggesting that Scotland might replace Bangladesh should they withdraw, Nazrul noted that the government has received no official confirmation of such a move.

He argued that their request for a venue change is grounded in established precedent, noting, “There are precedents in international cricket, when India refused to play in Pakistan the ICC changed the venue. We have reasonably asked for a venue change.”

The dispute stems from Bangladesh’s recent notification to the ICC regarding its inability to travel to India due to significant political tensions.

These concerns were heightened after Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the IPL following security threats, a situation reportedly supported by the ICC’s own “Internal Threat Assessment Report.”

While the ICC has yet to outline a replacement process, a final decision regarding Bangladesh’s participation and the potential for a neutral venue is expected by Wednesday.