England tour of Bangladesh to go ahead after risk assessed

(Reuters) - England's five-week tour of Bangladesh will proceed as planned starting in late September, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday after conducting a risk assessment.

The tour had been in doubt over security concerns following a July 1 attack by Islamic militants on a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people were killed, most of them foreigners.

But a risk assessment by the board's security team concluded the situation in the country was stable enough for the tour to go ahead.

Players, including test captain Alastair Cook and one-day international captain Eoin Morgan, were briefed on Thursday.

"Safety and security of players and management are always paramount," England director of cricket Andrew Strauss said after the meeting.

"We've received a thorough risk assessment, had excellent insight into the current situation and been fully briefed on security commitments.

"ECB and PCA (Professional Cricketers' Association) have the utmost confidence in the advice and support we've been given."

The England team is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on Sept. 30 for three one-day internationals and two tests.

After the Bangladesh leg of the tour of the sub-continent, England will move onto India in early November for a five-test series.

The touring squad has not yet been picked and Thursday's announcement does not mean all of the top players will make themselves available for selection.

Australia pulled out of their tour of Bangladesh last year over security concerns and did not compete in the under-19 World Cup in the south Asian country for the same reason.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)