Dhaka: Taking its cue from the Australian cricket team’s abortive Bangladesh tour on security grounds, Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday blamed some ministers and ruling party leaders for denting the country’s image abroad by carrying out militancy propaganda.

Affirming that there is no existence of religious extremism here, the party also called upon the Australian authorities to positively review its decision on Bangladesh tour.

‘We’ve long been saying the propaganda being conducted by some ministers, including Hasanul Haq Inu, and ruling party leaders may be detrimental to the country’s image and it’s now turned truth. It’s been reflected through the postponement of Australian cricket team’s Bangladesh visit on security ground,’ said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.

He said the news run by media at different times about the arrest of people suspected of being militants, alongside the discovery of books on extremism prompted Cricket Australia to take such a decision out of apprehension.

Earlier on Sunday, Cricket Australia delayed the departure of its Test team for a two-match tour in Bangladesh due to concerns about the safety and security of the team.

However, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Monday said the government has assured the Australian authorities of foolproof security and hoped that their cricket team will visit Bangladesh to play the scheduled Test series.  

Ripon said, ‘We’re concerned over the uncertainty of Australian cricket team’s Bangladesh tour when Bangladesh cricket team is set to show their good performance imbued with spirit of defeating India, Pakistan, England and South Africa… We hope Australian team will arrive here reviewing its decision. Country’s people are waiting to welcome them.’

The BNP leader further said ‘We would like to say that people of Bangladesh like cricket. There’s no extremism on the soil of this country. We firmly believe that there is factual basis in the observation of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about Bangladesh. It’s devoid of reality.’

Referring to the remarks of Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and the home minister that there are no activities of religious extremism here, Ripon said BNP does not differ with the two ministers.

He urged the government to take proper steps to give the international community a good impression about Bangladesh against the negative militancy campaign.