|| CF Correspondent ||   

The activities in the country are starting little by little. The government has decided to partially open the offices. The sportspeople are also seeing the light of hope in this. Bangladesh Cricket Board [BCB] officials are preparing to open the office after the effects of the coronavirus have subsided. Divisional managers are holding regular online meetings under the leadership of BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury on this matter. If the government resume sports then offices will be opened partially, said Nizamuddin Chowdhury. In that case, the BCB office may be open from the first week of June.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports suspended all sorts of sports in the country by issuing a notification on 16 March. BCB suspends Dhaka Premier League on 18 March. Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium lockdown was announced before the announcement of the public holiday. Field workers and security personnel are working at the stadium, but officials are doing their work through online. Apart from communicating with other cricket playing nations, the concerned are also in regular contact with the International Cricket Council [ICC].

In this regard, the BCB CEO said that they are holding meeting at the operational level regularly. They are also in contact with ICC and board directors of member countries. They are also working on the measures they will take after everything starts to resume again.

"Everything is going on. We are holding a meeting regularly at the operational level. We are holding meeting with the ICC. There is also liaison with the concerned board of directors. Whoever is given whatever responsibility, he does it through online. We are working on the measures to be taken after opening the office. In particular, the medical department of the BCB has been given the responsibility of formulating protocols to ensure health safety. The concerned department is doing that," Nizamuddin Chowdhury was quoted in a Bengali daily.

Debashish Chowdhury, the chief physician of the BCB, gave an online presentation on Tuesday on 'SOP i.e. Standard Operation Protocol'. Which is now given to the managers for the primary test. If they give any recommends then it will be reviewed. Also, the SOP for office protocol has been made and he is hoping that if the authorities give instructions then he might also make the protocol for the game.

"The departmental managers have been given SOPs. If managers recommend any changes, they will be reviewed and SOP will be approved. Especially when the BCB office will open then to plan for the proper management of the issues that may come to the fore," Debashish Chowdhury said.

"BGMEA has done a beautiful SOP. With that, I did an SOP with BRAC's protocol. For now, the office protocol has been created. The protocol of the game will be made later if the authorities give instructions," He added.

Debashish Chowdhury also said that if the coronavirus situation becomes normal, steps will be taken to return the game to the field. And that will be done in accordance with the guidelines of the ICC.

"There are a lot of things to consider to get the game back on the field. Coronavirus testing of players, support staff, field workers will come to the fore. There is talk of returning the game with Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL). DPL is a club game. In that case, it is a matter of bringing the clubs into a process. Coronavirus testing would not be possible without the cooperation of the government. The ICC's medical department will hold a meeting on 11 May. These issues will be discussed there. Even ICC wants to start the game. They are creating a direction. When that happens, it will be easier for the BCB," Debashish Chowdhury added.