Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud on Thursday said that he had advised Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan not to return to the country to avoid any untoward incidents.
Asif said the decision was made to ensure the safety of players and to protect the country's image, according to AFP.
Asif said: "I have advised Shakib not to come [to Bangladesh] to avoid any untoward circumstances."
As well as a cricket star, Shakib is an ex-lawmaker in the government ousted by a revolution in August.
On Thursday, Shakib told local media that he was not returning to Bangladesh because of "a security issue", potentially missing what he says will be his final match for his country.
The 37-year-old announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last Test series at home.
Since then, there has been speculation about whether Shakib, who is accused in a murder case, might face any legal complications upon returning to the country.
He was named in the Bangladesh squad to face South Africa, with the first of two Tests starting this Monday, and had been expected to fly back to Dhaka Thursday.
People have been staging protest on social media and on the streets demanding action against the Bangladesh cricket icon.
On Thursday, students continued their sit-in protest in front of Mirpur Stadium in Dhaka.
They chanted slogans against Shakib while holding various placards at the stadium gate.
One placard read: "My brother is in the grave, why is Shakib abroad?" Another read: “Shakib, you may know the pitch in Mirpur, but we grew up knowing the streets.”
Earlier, Asif said he saw no legal barriers preventing Shakib from returning to the country or leaving again afterward.
He said: "It is the responsibility of the state to ensure the safety of every citizen. It is also the state's responsibility to ensure the security of the cricket team. We will ensure that."
Regarding the protest, Asif said he considers such behaviour from Shakib's opponents as an expression of their emotions. "This is a matter of emotions. They have the right to express those. In a democratic country, people have the constitutional right to protest or engage in any kind of demonstration."
