BCB in talks with Football Federation

Cricket to return to national stadium

Cricinfo staff

July 11, 2005

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has reopened an old row by stating its intention to host the proposed tri-nation tournament, between Zimbabwe and Kenya, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. In March, the ground was formally handed over for exclusive use by Bangladesh's national footballers - a decision which caused outrage among fans and players alike.

The BCB president, Ali Asgar Lobi MP, denied reports that he met with the minister for sports, Md. Fazlur Rahman Patal. However, the Bangladesh Football Federation president, SA Sultan MP, told the Bangladesh Independent, "If it is an issue of national interest, we will settle the row after discussing [it with the BCB]."

Football organisers fear that if the BCB were to regain control of the stadium, the ground would not be returned in time to host football fixtures. The national stadium has hosted 17 Tests and 58 matches since January 1955, at which point the country was still a part of Pakistan.

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