Bangladesh Cricket Board threatens to ban local supporters carrying rival team's flags in World T20

No liberty for the fans?

Bangladeshi fans have been warned by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that they will be barred if they are seen carrying flags of any other teams who are participating in the ongoing ICC World T20 tournament, reports AFP.

“We’ve received instruction in this regard,” said a BCB official. “As such we’ve ordered security officials and guards to make sure Bangladesh fans cannot carry or fly flags of foreign nations in the stadiums.”

Apparently, a group of Bangladeshi supporters were seen waving the Pakistani flag during an Asia Cup match last week, something that did not go well with the officials.

Bangladesh bans local fans from supporting any teams other than the Bangladesh’s national team which is losing at a whole scale level

— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaGeoNews) March 25, 2014

However, the officials at the International Cricket Council (ICC) felt the fans were being wronged and have criticised the decision.

“A cricket fan cannot be stopped for being deprived of their rights to express loyalty for any team,” an ICC spokesperson told media. “Restricting audience from supporting another team is completely a wrong move”.

“BCB’s statement is contrary to the basis on which we have been working with them on World T20 marketing & promotion of the event.”

It will however be interesting to see who the fans root for when Bangladesh faces Pakistan on March 30 at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.