Bangladesh Cricket Board accept England tour concerns

The Bangladesh Cricket Board will not object should England decide to cancel their tour of the country after the Dhaka terrorist attack.

The England and Wales Cricket Board responded to the killing of 20 foreign nationals on Friday night by releasing a statement in which it promised to take "appropriate steps" should it be advised Bangladesh is not "acceptably safe".

The cancellation of England's scheduled Test and one-day international trip, from the end of September until the start of November, is therefore a distinct possibility.

An arrangement to switch the matches elsewhere is another potential course of action.

BCB director Sheikh Sohail has conceded his national governing body cannot, in the circumstances, reasonably object if England stay away.

"I agree that the situation of our country is now more critical than before," he said following the attack, for which terrorist group ISIS has claimed responsibility.

Australia have previously cancelled both a bi-lateral tour of Bangladesh and pulled their Under-19 team out of the World Cup there for security reasons.

"Back then, we had our points to defend ourselves," added Sohail. "But after what happened [on Friday]... if England opt not to come, we won't have anything to say. I hope England won't take any such decision.

"We have to wait and see what they have to say, we still have plenty of time on our hands, so let's hope for the best."

Sohail fears a multi-lateral reluctance to tour his country in the event of further terrorism incidents.

"What happened is a very bad news for the entire nation. Never before did we witness something like this in our country.

"It's shocking for not only cricket, but every sector of the country. I don't know what will happen in our cricket.

"If something like this continues to happen, we will become abandoned by other cricket playing nations."