Hassan has promised to give Australia VVIP security

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have made a last-ditch attempt to save the two-Test series against Australia by offering the Baggy Greens unprecedented levels of security.

While the fate of the series is set to be decided on Thursday, the BCB have vowed to give Australia VVIP security, which is typically provided for heads of states.

However, Australia are leaning towards cancelling the series, especially after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed that they had “reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh”.

However, BCB president Nazmul Hassan has urged Cricket Australia to consider the fact that the national team will have a heftier security presence around them at all times.

“We have left no stone unturned in providing assurance regarding security for the Australian team,” Hassan told reporters. “The Bangladesh government has committed to additional security on top of the substantial and elaborate arrangements in the BCB’s standard Security Plan for international cricket. For the Australia team the level has been confirmed as VVIP which is equivalent to security accorded to head of states and is unprecedented for any international side.

“We are still hopeful that a fresh date for arrival of its team will be declared by CA and we will see some exciting cricket on the ground soon. The cricketers, fans and everyone associated with cricket deserve that. Risks of untoward occurrences and threats are an unfortunate reality in today’s world and can happen anywhere. That is why we have placed utmost importance on preventive methods and action. We firmly believe that there is no reason for this tour to not go ahead after the extensive effort that has gone into the security arrangements.”