ICC President lays foundation stone and meets Bangladesh Prime Minister

ICC President Ehsan Mani and Bangladesh's Minister of Youth and Sports Md Fazlur Rahman today laid a foundation stone at a site that will become the home of cricket in Bangladesh.

Along with ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, and BCB President Mohammad Ali Asghar, Mr Mani and Mr Rahman laid the stone at Mirpur Stadium in Dhaka.

It commemorates the commencement of work on an indoor cricket facility that will be used by the Bangladesh national team and other representative sides.

The three-lane facility is the first phase of an ambitious renovation project at Mirpur Stadium.

The stadium has been allocated to the Bangladesh Cricket Board by the government for use exclusively as a cricket stadium.

A new cricket pitch will be laid in place of the existing football pitch and athletics track and turf practice pitches will be introduced alongside the indoor facility.

Over the course of the next year the Bangladesh Cricket Board will move its offices to the stadium complex and player and spectator facilities will be upgraded.

Mr Mani was impressed with the explanation of the project that was presented to him.

"It is a very ambitious project that the BCB is undertaking," said Mr Mani.

"If the plans are implemented as suggested then it will be a wonderful facility for cricket in Bangladesh."

The visit to Mirpur was followed by a meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's office where the Prime Minister expressed her personal interest in cricket.

Mr Mani thanked the Prime Minister for the support that the Government has given to cricket in Bangladesh, particularly in relation to the forthcoming ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup 2004.

ICC Media Contact:

ICC U/19 CWC 2004 Organising Committee Contact:

ASM Roquibul Hassan
Host Tournament Director
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