The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the ICC Men's T20 World Cup will proceed as planned, with Bangladesh's matches set to take place in India. However, Aminul Islam Bulbul, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), has expressed concerns about safety and has requested that the matches be relocated to Sri Lanka.

This request followed a video conference held by the ICC Board on Wednesday, which was convened to address the BCB's plea for a venue change. Bulbul stated, "It is currently unsafe for us to play in India; we prefer to play in Sri Lanka," during a press briefing on Wednesday night.

The ICC's decision came after thorough security evaluations, including independent assessments, which indicated no threats to the safety of Bangladesh players, officials, media, or fans at any of the tournament venues in India. The ICC Board emphasized that changing the schedule so close to the tournament could set a dangerous precedent and undermine the integrity of future ICC events.

In an effort to resolve the situation, ICC management has engaged in extensive discussions with the BCB, providing detailed information about the security measures in place, which include federal and state law enforcement support.

An ICC spokesperson remarked, "In recent weeks, we have maintained constructive dialogue with the BCB to facilitate Bangladesh's participation in the tournament. We have shared independent security assessments and comprehensive venue security plans, all confirming that there is no credible threat to the Bangladesh team in India."

Despite these assurances, the BCB has continued to link its participation to an unrelated issue involving one of its players in a domestic league, which does not impact the tournament's security framework.

The ICC's decisions regarding venues and scheduling are based on objective security assessments and host guarantees, which apply equally to all participating nations. Without independent findings that compromise the safety of the Bangladesh team, the ICC cannot relocate matches, as this would have significant logistical implications for other teams and fans globally.

The T20 World Cup is set to commence on February 7. Bangladesh will begin their campaign against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on the same day. Following this, they will face Italy on February 9 at the same venue before taking on England. After their match against England, Bangladesh will head to Mumbai to compete against Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. BCB officials have indicated that they will communicate their final decision regarding participation to the ICC after consulting with the government on Thursday.