ECB concerned, monitoring Dhaka closely

Last Friday night's terrorist attack in Dhaka, which left 20 people dead, have made the England and Wales Cricket Board concerned. The ECB through a statement in the media Saturday said it will follow the government advice before the cricket team's scheduled tour to Bangladesh this September. England are scheduled to reach Dhaka on September 30 for two Tests and three one-day internationals against the Tigers.

According to the ECB, it will "work closely" with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its own security experts over the coming months and make a decision over whether the tour will go ahead.

Chairman of the media and communications committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Jalal Younus said he understands the ECB's concern and hopes the series will go ahead as per the schedule.

“We are also shocked and saddened with the incident and totally understand ECB’s concern. But there is still around two months left before the series takes place. I hope the situation will be better in the coming days and the tour will happen as per the schedule. The BCB will also closely monitor the situation,” said Jalal to Dhaka Tribune Saturday.

Last Friday night, gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Gulshan before security forces took charge and brought an end to the terrorist attack.

"The safety and security of our players and management is always of paramount importance to ECB and this applies to all teams representing England on overseas tours,” said an ECB spokesman to the media Saturday.

"We will continue to monitor and assess the situation in Bangladesh over the coming weeks and months and will undertake a thoroughgoing and robust pre-tour inspection of planned security arrangements for the England team.

"We will also continue to work closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and should our Director of Security, Reg Dickason, or the FCO, advise that the environment is not acceptably safe or the right measures not in place, we would take the appropriate steps," the spokesman added.

Security concerns in Bangladesh had made Cricket Australia postpone a scheduled tour of the country based on government security advice.

And earlier this year, they had pulled out of the Under-19 World Cup that was hosted by Bangladesh.