Bangladesh shooting team to compete in India despite cricket row
Bangladesh’s national shooting team is set to travel to India next month for the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championships, just days after its cricket board declined to send the men’s team to the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in India over security concerns.
Dhaka cleared the shooters’ trip on security grounds on Jan. 29, 2026, even as the cricket controversy saw Bangladesh removed from the Men’s T20 World Cup, with Scotland taking its place following the refusal to travel to India.
Officials from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) say there are no safety issues for competitors and that Indian authorities are fully backing the Asian championships.
Critics argue the contrasting decisions underline a seeming contradiction in Dhaka’s position — green-lighting one team to enter India while blocking another over the same “security” concerns. Proponents of the shooting squad’s trip counter that individual sport events involve different risks and arrangements.
“The safety of our athletes comes first,” one Bangladesh sports official said, stressing that “this event has clear security protocols.” An NRAI spokesman added, “We welcome all contingents and assure them of a safe, competitive environment.”