The Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL) has been postponed indefinitely 2 days ago. That is why 2-star cricketers of Bangladesh Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman will go back to their country from India. They will undergo quarantine for 14 days once they arrive. That is what the Department of Health has informed.
The Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ODI series is going to start on May 23. In that case, if Shakib and Mustafiz return to the country in the next couple of days, they will have to play the ODI series against Sri Lanka without any preparation. So, the BCB took initiative to reduce their quarantine time by consulting the concerned department of the government
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had asked for a waiver from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) stating that the two cricketers were in the bio-bubble zone in the IPL. But the safety net of the IPL is also unprotected, which has been evidenced by the suspension of the event after multiple cricketers from four franchises were tested positive of Covid-19.
DGHS Director-General Prof. Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam also informed about the obligation of institutional quarantine for Shakib-Mustafiz. “They have to do a 14-day institutional quarantine,” he said. He again mentioned, “We replied in negative when The BCB applied to us (for relaxation of the rules). Because according to the law, everyone has to undergo quarantine.”
Besides, BCB chief executive officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said, “In the changed situation, we also think that everything should be as per the government’s instructions. Since the biological defenses of the IPL have been questioned, the corona has spread there, we can’t put other cricketers at risk by taking someone from there directly with the team. In the case of Shakib and Mustafiz, everything will be the way the government decides. We still have time before the series. “
However, if the Covid-19 test is negative and there are no symptoms after 4-5 days of the beginning of the 14-day quarantine, then it is often released from the quarantine period. The rules will be a little relaxed in the case of Shakib-Mustafiz- that is what the BCB hopes. In that case, if they can return to their country within a day or two, their quarantine will end before the Sri Lanka series.
Shakib-Mustafiz will have to spend 14 days at the hotel, despite the Bangladesh national team members returning from Sri Lanka on Tuesday being instructed to undergo 3-day home quarantine. As the flights with India are closed, they will also have to return with special arrangements. The BCB said they would help even if they are supposed to do so. As far as is known, these two cricketers can return through any one of the land ports with the special permission of the Ministry of External Affairs.
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