Dhaka safe, go play, will let you know on Chittagong: Govt to BCCI

The tour had come under a cloud after a militant outfit, identifying itself as Harkat-ul-Jihadi, threatened to kill the Indian players if they toured the country.

The Government clearance came after the Indian security delegation, which flew to Dhaka yesterday, sent its report after a spot assessment of the security environment.

India plays the first Test in Dhaka followed by the second in Chittagong from December 16. The first of the three One-Day matches is to be held in Chittagong and the rest in Dhaka.

‘‘The Indian security officials and their Bangladesh counterparts carried out a thorough joint on-site inspection of the venue of the match, the hotel where the players would be accommodated as also the route which would be used for travel by the team,’’ a statement issued by MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

The Indian officials made a number of recommendations for strengthening the security arrangements for the team and ‘‘these were accepted in entirety by Bangladesh authorities,’’ he said.

The spokesman said Bangladesh Home Secretary Omar Farooq personally reviewed all arrangements and assured implementation of additional measures suggested by the Indian security team.

‘‘On this basis, the Government is advising BCCI to proceed with the tour of the Indian cricket team for matches in Dhaka,’’ the spokesman said.

Referring to the Chittagong leg of the tour, the spokesman said the Indian security delegation would now proceed to that city to make a similar assessment of the arrangements and a decision would be taken thereafter.

The BCCI welcomed the Government decision and said it would make necessary logistic arrangements.

‘‘We have received the communication from the Government, the matches in Dhaka have been cleared and we welcome the decision,’’ BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said.

In Dhaka, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s media committee chairman R A Mamun said they were yet to receive any communication from India on the tour but welcomed the decision nevertheless.

‘‘We have not got any confirmation from India as yet but anyway we welcome the positive decision,’’ he said.