Australia mull cancelling tour over security fears
Bangladesh officials promise top of the line security to appease the visitors
Steve Smith talks to the media after he was announced as the new Australian Cricket Captain. PHOTO: REUTERS
DHAKA:
Bangladesh promised on Monday to provide the Australian cricket team the highest level of security, saying it was shocked they were considering cancelling the tour on fears militants could target Australians.
After meeting Cricket Australia (CA) officials in Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the Aussies would get security usually reserved for visiting heads of state if they went ahead with the tour starting this week.
“The highest security protocol will be provided for the Australian cricket team,” Khan told reporters.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan said the Australian foreign ministry’s advice to delay the team’s departure on Sunday shocked him. “This is very disappointing for us. There is no risk for them in Bangladesh,” Hassan told reporters.
Australia are now booked on a flight to Bangladesh for late Tuesday but will await security briefings before deciding whether to go ahead.
CA’s anti-corruption and security manager Sean Carroll and two other Australian officials met top security and intelligence figures in Dhaka on Monday, along with home minister Asaduzzaman and BCB chief Hassan, claimed Dhaka cricket officials.
Sunday’s planned departure was blocked after the foreign affairs ministry in Canberra warned that “militants may be planning to target Australian interests”. “This is not one of the ones you want to get wrong,” said Australia’s team performance manager Pat Howard. “Today is a big day; we have a lot of meetings, a lot of people on the ground. We want to make sure we are not under-reacting, but also not over-reacting.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2015.
Bangladesh promised on Monday to provide the Australian cricket team the highest level of security, saying it was shocked they were considering cancelling the tour on fears militants could target Australians.
After meeting Cricket Australia (CA) officials in Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the Aussies would get security usually reserved for visiting heads of state if they went ahead with the tour starting this week.
“The highest security protocol will be provided for the Australian cricket team,” Khan told reporters.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan said the Australian foreign ministry’s advice to delay the team’s departure on Sunday shocked him. “This is very disappointing for us. There is no risk for them in Bangladesh,” Hassan told reporters.
Australia are now booked on a flight to Bangladesh for late Tuesday but will await security briefings before deciding whether to go ahead.
CA’s anti-corruption and security manager Sean Carroll and two other Australian officials met top security and intelligence figures in Dhaka on Monday, along with home minister Asaduzzaman and BCB chief Hassan, claimed Dhaka cricket officials.
Sunday’s planned departure was blocked after the foreign affairs ministry in Canberra warned that “militants may be planning to target Australian interests”. “This is not one of the ones you want to get wrong,” said Australia’s team performance manager Pat Howard. “Today is a big day; we have a lot of meetings, a lot of people on the ground. We want to make sure we are not under-reacting, but also not over-reacting.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2015.