BCB wants Tigers to play in Pakistan

Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday asked the government to provide a security team which would assess security measures taken in Pakistan for Bangladesh cricket team's proposed tour in April.
The BCB has taken this step for the Pakistan tour after Zaka Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, visited the country last month during which the possible tour of the Tigers was announced.
If the tour is made, Bangladesh will be the first international cricket team to tour Pakistan since February, 2009, when the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore resulting in several players being injured.
Cricket teams have been avoiding Pakistan as an international venue and the Pakistan team now has no home matches. All its home matches are played in the United Arab Emirates. The attack also cost Pakistan the opportunity to co-host the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Many believe the Tigers' tour of Pakistan is part of a deal made between BCB and the PCB. They say that PCB would support BCB's candidate for the International Cricket Council (ICC) vice-presidency post and in return PCB would like Bangladesh to tour Pakistan, where no international team goes for security concerns.
However, BCB Chief Executive Officer Manzur Ahmed said the Tigers' tour will go ahead only if the government clears it after the security assessment.
The tour of Pakistan is not absolutely certain. "It entirely depends on the government's decision. If we get the clearance, we will go," he said.
"The tour is in the ICC's Future Tours Programme and we have friendly relations with other cricketing nations in the sub-continent. But the assessment is important. We won't go unless the government gives us the green signal," he said.