Bangladesh skipper brushes off threats by fringe outfits ahead of India tour

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto brushed aside Indian religious outfit 'Hindu Mahasabha' threats of protests ahead of the Tigers’ India tour. The threat is for the 1st T20I match, scheduled to be played at the newly built Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

"These things happen and it is present while playing in almost all the countries," Cricbuzz quoted Najmul, referring to the threat."I don't think it's a big threat. We will go the way our tour has been fixed," he added. 

Bangladesh will be travelling to India to play two Tests and three T20Is after the nation saw a change in power, forced by the student protest. After then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, the nation saw a spur of riots, reportedly against the minorities. 

It is because of those riots that Mahasabha decided to protest against India playing Bangladesh. 

"Hindus are being massacred in Bangladesh…temples are being destroyed. Therefore, the Hindu Mahasabha has decided that the India-Bangladesh cricket match in Gwalior will be opposed," vice president of the outfit Jaiveer Bharadwaj was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Shanto further clarified that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in conversation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the issue. 

"Naturally we are communicating with the host board and we are pretty confident that they will give us adequate security during the tour and increase it (security) if required," he said.

Bangladesh will tour India after sweeping Pakistan 2-0 in a Test series away from home.

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