Asif Nazrul: "We Don't Want to Play World Cup at the Cost of Bangladesh's Dignity"

Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Advisor, Asif Nazrul, has made it clear that the country wishes to participate in the World Cup, but not at the expense of its dignity. Speaking after a meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials at the Secretariat on January 7, he stressed that the nation will not compromise its safety or honor to take part in the prestigious tournament.

He stated, “Bangladesh has earned the right to play in the World Cup through hard work. We are a cricket-crazy nation, and of course, we want to play. However, we do not want to do so at the cost of our nation’s pride. Not at the expense of the safety of our players, spectators, or journalists.”

Nazrul added, “The letter we received from the ICC today made it seem that they have not fully understood the security concerns for Bangladesh’s players. To me, this issue is not just about security; it's about national humiliation. When the BCCI itself says it cannot ensure the safety of players in Kolkata, it proves that the situation is unsafe for us to play there. Given the communal tensions in India, I choose not to comment on that, but we will not compromise on our safety or dignity.”

Regarding the possibility of Bangladesh’s World Cup matches being played in Sri Lanka, he emphasized the country’s firm stance. “We are determined to play the World Cup, but we remain firm on this position. We hope to convince the ICC, and we expect them to consider our reasoning objectively and provide us with a fair opportunity to play.”

Nazrul concluded, "We have strong arguments to present to the ICC. Our stance is clear: we will not compromise on Bangladesh’s safety, respect, and honor. We definitely want to play in the World Cup, but only under the right conditions. If needed, we will revisit the situation after further discussions."