Security claims exposed as Bangladeshi players arrive in India for THIS tournament
Just days after pulling its national cricket team out of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India citing security concerns, the Bangladesh government has given the green light for its shooters to travel to Delhi for the upcoming Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship.
The decision has raised eyebrows, especially given the contrasting stance taken across two major international sporting events scheduled just weeks apart.
The T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8 across venues in India and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship is set to take place earlier, from February 2 to 14, at Delhi’s Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. The shooting event will feature more than 300 athletes from 17 countries.
Bangladesh will be represented by two rifle shooters, 21-year-old Arefin Shaira and 26-year-old Olympian Mohammad Robiel Islam. Both athletes will compete in the 10m air rifle individual events before teaming up for the mixed team competition.
Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the cricket World Cup, there was speculation that its shooting contingent might also opt out due to similar security concerns. However, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has firmly dismissed those doubts.
NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia confirmed that Bangladesh’s shooters are all set to compete. “So far, there is no news that the Bangladesh team is not coming. Their team is coming, there is no doubt about it,” Bhatia told PTI. He added that the NRAI has been in constant touch with Bangladesh federation officials and that the Ministry of External Affairs has already cleared the participation, with visa processing underway through the Indian embassy.
According to a report published by Dhaka’s Daily Sun on Wednesday, January 28, the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bangladesh issued an official order approving the shooting team’s tour of India. The report acknowledged the apparent contradiction, noting that the clearance came despite the earlier cancellation of the cricket team’s participation in the T20 World Cup.
The government’s reasoning appears to rest on the nature of the events themselves. As per the report, Bangladeshi authorities believe the shooting championship doesn’t pose a major security risk since it will be held indoors at a highly secured venue, the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range.
While cricket’s absence from the T20 World Cup remains a major talking point, Bangladesh’s participation in the shooting championship underlines a more nuanced approach to international sporting engagements. For now, at least, the country’s shooters are ready to compete in Delhi, even as cricket diplomacy between the neighbors remains complicated.