Bangladesh tour of India remains in doubt as BCB make "conspiracy" claim

Despite strike action ending last week the T20 and Test matches in November are far from certain

Bangladesh's tour of India has been subject to sabotage and it remains unlikely the scheduled matches will go ahead, BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon has said in an extraordinary outburst.

A large handful of players, led by Test and T20 captain Shakib Al Hasan, went on strike ahead of the tour and submitted 13 demands to the board.

Many of those suggestions were accepted, leading to players returning to domestic action while next month's tour which includes three T20s and two Tests were seemingly back on.

Hasan had previously been critical of the walkout and despite the dispute being settled is adamant the fixtures will not go ahead while suggesting that a mystery third party could be behind the recent action.

"You've seen nothing of that tour yet," he told Prothom Alo. "Wait and see. I've been told there's a conspiracy behind this. You know me for such a long time, did I ever lie or have provided wrong information? 

"As I am saying this, there must be something there. I had information that the India tour would be disrupted.

NOW READ: India propose day-night Test for Eden Gardens Test against Bangladesh

"The players staged a strike as soon as board director Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan was detained. I can't yet believe this! I talk to them every day. Is it possible to stop playing all on a sudden? I think it was unjust of me to have met their demands. I should have in no condition done this. 

"We should have said that we won't sit with you unless you withdraw your strike and seek the board's permission. I've realised this after talking to several ICC member countries. But you (media) left us in such a position that we had no option.

While Shakib has yet to join up with the squad to prepare for the matches, both Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Saifuddin have withdrawn from the tour due to personal and fitness reasons, respectively.

"I'm sure that they won't go and will declare that at the 11th hour when there's no scope to do anything," added Hasan.

"I have asked Shakib to come today (Sunday). Let's see what he says. There might be many more players. I don't know who they are, but I was tipped off that they would not go. The situation has now veered.

"Perhaps they didn't think that everything would be over so soon. I'm not informed on this from a trusted source. Even so, if they say they won't go on 30 October, what will I do then? 

^{Shakib Al Hasan's role in India remains uncertain}

"I have to change the whole combination and where will I find my captain then! Tell me, what will I do with these players.

"Tamim told me first that he didn't want to play the last Test match with India. His child was due at that time.

"As the meeting with the players was just over, Tamim went to our room and said, "I won't go (to India)." I said, "What does that mean? You said earlier that you will spare the last match only.

"Why do you want to skip the tour?" Still he said that he won't go. If all of them say that they will not go at the eleventh hour, how does that feel?"

Bangladesh face India in the first of three T20s in Delhi on November 3.