The Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided to defer its plans to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, due to rising concerns over the novel coronavirus in the country.
The BCB’s plans include hosting a concert featuring famous musician AR Rahman next week, followed by two Twenty20 matches between Asia XI and World XI on Mar 20 and 21 at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
BCB president Nazmul Hasan has now confirmed on Wednesday (Mar 11) that the programs will be deferred for the time being.
“We are facing problems organizing the matches on the 21st and the 22nd. There is no doubt with the players coming over here and playing. However, for the moment, we have deferred the two events (concert and T20 matches),” said Nazmul to the media Wednesday at the BCB premises.
“We will assess the scenario in the next couple of months and organize the events. So the events are postponed for the time being,” he said.
Mentioning two options amid the situation, Hasan said, “We initially had plans to hold the concert on the 18th on a small scale. However, we have decided to do it in grand manner.”
“That’s why we have decided to defer it for the moment, and not do it on a small scale,” he added before expressing determination for holding the concert in grand fashion.
Fifa and Asian Football Confederation have already postponed Bangladesh’s joint World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled to be held this month and June.
Three people tested positive for coronavirus in Bangladesh Sunday, with two of them having recently returned from Italy.
Monday, another two people were quarantined at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital on suspicion of being infected with the virus.