The seventh international Social Business Day conference, scheduled to begin tomorrow in Dhaka’s Savar with participants from 50 countries, was cancelled after police denied permission for the annual gathering.

“With a heavy heart we inform you that we are cancelling the 7th international conference organised on 28-29 July 2017 on the occasion of Social Business Day,” the event organiser, Yunus Centre said in a press release today.

Yunus Centre made the announcement this evening, hours into Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said it is not possible to ensure security for such an event within a very short span of time.

The IGP said the organiser on July 23 sought security only from the superintendent of police in Dhaka without informing police headquarters, security agencies and concerned ministries.

“We always welcome such an event and provide security but we should have been given sufficient time for it,” he told journalists this evening.  He further said, “It’s all about their failure and negligence.”

In total, some 2,000 people, including about 400 foreigners, from 50 countries had registered to take part in the function at the newly built Samajik Convention Centre in Zirabo of Savar, on the outskirts of the capital, according to the press release.

Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Thomas Gass was supposed to give the keynote speech in the function.

Around 200 international participants had already arrived to participate in the conference, it added.

"The guests and participants invited and registered for the Opening Ceremony and also to participate in the conference are requested to cancel their plans to attend the conference. We humbly apologise to the guests and participants, local and from around the world, who have spent their time and money to take part in this conference," Yunus Centre said.