ICC Revokes Media Accreditation for All Bangladeshi Journalists

A wave of discontent has swept Bangladesh’s sports journalism community as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has revoked the media accreditation for all Bangladeshi journalists ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. The decision comes in the wake of Bangladesh's exclusion from the tournament, with Scotland replacing the country in the competition.

On January 26, the ICC informed Bangladeshi journalists via email that they would not be granted accreditation to cover the World Cup in either India or Sri Lanka. The ICC stated that as Bangladesh’s national team is not participating in the tournament, media representatives from the country would not be allowed to cover the event.

This decision has sparked widespread frustration and disappointment among the affected journalists. Many were eagerly preparing to cover the tournament, with some having already made arrangements to travel to the host countries. Prior to this, Bangladesh was scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, and several journalists had submitted their applications to cover these games, not only focusing on Bangladesh’s matches but on the entire World Cup.

Sports and youth adviser Asif Nazrul had previously raised concerns about safety in India, particularly for both players and journalists. This new development has added further complexity to the situation, creating additional unease in the local media community.

Bangladesh's sports journalists have had a strong presence at every World Cup since the country's first participation in 1999. Even during years when the Bangladesh team was not involved, journalists from Bangladesh had traveled to cover various World Cups. The public's passion for cricket in Bangladesh, especially around the World Cup, is always at a high, which is why most major media outlets send representatives to cover the event.

Despite Bangladesh not fielding a team this year, the ICC’s ban on media accreditation has raised significant discussions and dissatisfaction within the sports community.