IT is very strange that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has declined to send its team to Pakistan, despite its written commitment, noted in the minutes of the ICC. The ICC is watching this drama from the sidelines.

The BCB management must know that security concerns are everywhere in this world. Recently, the West Indian cricket team’s bus was pelted with stones in Bangladesh after the host team lost the match against the West Indies with a huge margin. The BCB management should also know that many international events of different sports have been held peacefully in Pakistan in the recent past.

Moreover, the BCB should also be in the notice that in the last few days Pakistani and Indian hockey federations have signed an agreement of reciprocal hockey series to be played for five years wherein the series will commence with the Indian hockey team’s visit to Pakistan in March.

So, it will be better for the BCB to show its true colours and tell the world the real reasons for not going to Pakistan. The BCB should not hide behind the mantra of security concerns as the Bangladeshi security officials had openly declared that Pakistan’s security plan for the Bangladeshi cricketers was absolutely perfect and satisfactory. The ICC must tell the BCB that it has no right to play politics and unnecessarily malign Pakistan on security concerns which is a non-issue.

S. NAYYARUDDIN AHMAD     Lahore