India Tour of Bangladesh Likely to Be Cancelled Amid Security Concerns
New Delhi/Dhaka : The India tour of Bangladesh, scheduled for August 2025, is likely to be cancelled due to growing diplomatic tensions and security concerns in the neighbouring country, sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed on Friday. India was scheduled to play a three-match One Day International (ODI) series starting August 17, followed by a three-match T20I series from August 26. However, BCCI insiders have indicated that the central government has advised against the tour citing the “unsettled” internal situation in Bangladesh. “India tour of Bangladesh is likely to be called off as the government has advised the BCCI not to go there as the situation is not ok. The official announcement regarding this will be made soon,” a BCCI official told ANI.
The development comes against the backdrop of rising diplomatic unease between New Delhi and Dhaka. Tensions escalated in recent months after the demolition of a Durga temple in the Khilkhet area of Dhaka, which India strongly condemned. The Ministry of External Affairs criticised the Muhammad Yunus-led interim Bangladeshi government for failing to protect the temple and for allegedly facilitating the destruction by branding the site as “illegal land use.” “We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh... It is the responsibility of the interim government to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a sharply worded statement. The cancellation, if confirmed, would be a setback for bilateral cricketing ties, which have gained momentum in recent years. During India’s last tour to Bangladesh in 2024, the visitors secured dominant victories, sweeping the T20I series 3-0 and the Test series 2-0. Adding to the tensions, India had in May imposed trade restrictions on the entry of Bangladeshi goods—including ready-made garments, processed food, and plastic products—through key northeastern land ports. The move followed controversial remarks by Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus during a speech in China, where he referred to India’s northeastern states as a “landlocked region with no access to the ocean,” triggering sharp diplomatic backlash from Indian officials. As a result of the new trade restrictions, Bangladesh has been forced to reroute exports through Kolkata and Nhava Sheva ports, significantly raising logistics costs. The escalating diplomatic and trade friction, coupled with concerns over the safety of Indian players and staff, appear to have made the Bangladesh tour untenable. An official decision from the BCCI and the Indian government is expected shortly.
