'All systems go for Bangladesh tour'

JAMES SUTHERLAND

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland insisted that it was 'all systems go' for Australia's tour to Bangladesh, saying that only a few of the security details were left to be ironed out.

The series, which is expected to feature one Test in Dhaka and Chittagong each, is expected to get underway from late August.

"We're just working through all the details," Sutherland said on Monday. "I'm very pleased to be at a stage of really fine-tuning the detail -- there are still some things that we need to work through just to lock down on security.”

Sutherland also said that once the dates for the tour had been finalised, there would nothing stopping the tour from going on as proposed, adding that the feedback from all government agencies was positive.

"Once our hosts have locked in dates and the schedule, then from us it's all systems go, subject to any security concerns we might have.

"From all the research we've done and the work we've done with [the Department of] Foreign Affairs and others through government agencies, we're confident the tour will take place."

In response to Sutherland's statement, Bangladesh CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that an Australian security team were expected to visit Bangladesh next week. He continued that during the security team's visit, the BCB would finalise the dates for the tour.

"We have been working closely with CA for a long time to finalise the tour itinerary. There were some issues in terms of scheduling that we have addressed. We are happy to know that CA is positively responding to go ahead with the tour," Nizamuddin said.

Australia have not played a Test in Bangladesh since 2006 and their last tour to the nation came in 2011 during a three-match ODI series.

Australia were originally scheduled to tour Bangladesh in October 2015 but postponed it at the last minute due to warnings of possible militant attacks from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australia also withdrew their Under-19 side from last year's World Cup in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan last month declared Australia's tour was set in stone following a meeting with CA Chairman David Peever in Dubai at an International Cricket Council board meeting.

“[The] Australia series has been finalised," Hasan told Bangladesh media.  "I am saying it because the president of their board told me on the last day of the meeting that he and his wife are coming to watch the first Test.  That was the first time he said anything about the series during the meeting."