England security team in Bangladesh

DHAKA: England cricket officials inspected Bangladesh’s main stadium on Thursday as part of a security probe to determine whether to go ahead with a tour in the country next month.

The officials, who include England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) security director Reg Dickason, will tour facilities in the capital Dhaka and the southern port city Chittagong over three days.

The England squad are awaiting the outcome of the probe before deciding whether to fly to Bangladesh on September 30 for three One-day Internationals (ODIs) and two Test matches.

Concerns mounted at home over the safety of the squad following an attack by Islamist militants on a Dhaka cafe last month that left 22 people, mostly foreigners, dead.

“We are here for three days, seeing all the facilities, hotels and cricket grounds,” ECB director of operations John Carr told reporters.

“We are meeting with the security providers. We are grateful to the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) and government for their cooperation and assistance,” said Carr, who inspected the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka and met the home minister.

“We have to go back and report to the ECB board before anything is made public.” England cricketers will be given the option of missing the Bangladesh leg of the tour that also includes India should the trip be given the green light, according to media reports in Britain.