'BCB made written commitment to touring Pak'

The Bangladesh Cricket Board recently made a written commitment to its Pakistan counterpart to touring that country at the end of the year, its new president Nazmul Hassan revealed today. Hassan didn't say who sent the letter on behalf of the BCB, but said since it had been sent, the necessary steps would have to be taken.

It was later revealed that it had been sent before he took over on October 18.

"Jalal [Yunus, the BCB's media committee chairman] said in the last press conference that we haven't contacted the PCB regarding a tour [but] we have found out that a letter was sent from the BCB about playing there," Hassan said at the end of a five-hour meeting in Mirpur on Thursday. "The Pakistan media started saying that Bangladesh would tour because such a correspondence had indeed taken place."

The letter, Hassan said, was brief and made no mention of security or any logistical factors. "Since we have found out about the letter, we are considering whether it is mandatory to tour Pakistan or if there are any other options. If we go to Pakistan, we need to be assured of adequate security for our team.

"Actually there are a lot of gaps in that letter, so we have to take all this into account and decide if we want to go or not and if we do [decide positively], then we will go. I would call it a commitment, although it is just a one-line letter, but it is clear the BCB has decided."

Asked if it was mentioned to him at his first meeting, Hassan said, "This wasn't on the agenda at the meeting. I wasn't told about it. I know for a fact that Jalal bhai didn't know too; maybe the others [directors] did."

Yunus said that despite the letter being sent earlier this month, the PCB's stand was that it was still Bangladesh who would decide when to tour. "The letter was sent just before the new president was appointed. He [Hassan] wasn't informed during the transition period. [PCB general manager of media] Nadeem Sarwar has denied that PCB president Zaka Ashraf said Bangladesh will tour Pakistan in December. They have left it to Bangladesh to decide."